Bhairahawa, May 1
Tourism entrepreneurs in Lumbini have
lauded the government step to halt the International Buddhism Conference that
was taking place at the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Organising the conference in either way
would not be productive and meaningful therefore the government has taken a
timely decision, they said.
Lumbini Development Fund has issued a
statement on Thursday to formally announce the stop the celebration of 2564
Buddha Jayanti and third International Buddhism Conference.
State 5 President of Nepal Association of
Travel and Tour Agents (NATTA) Bishnu Prasad Sharma termed the decision a good
one. “The conference could be organised through video conferencing. But the aim
of the conference is to promote tourism in Lumbini therefore the online
conference wouldn’t have contributed to achieving the objective,” he said.
However, the LDF said that the Buddha
Jayanti would be celebrated in Lumbini with the monks and Lamas making prayers
and worship wishing the world peace. The event will be organised maintaining
social distancing measures.
Mithun Man Shrestha, President of Lumbini
Hotel Association said that the birthplace of Buddha was deserted due to the
coronavirus pandemic so it was a good decision to stop the programme. However,
it should be organised when the situation improves, he said.
Sanjaya Bajimaya, Tourism Coordinator of
the Siddartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that all other events have
also met the same fate due to the crisis.
He recommended the government to bring long
term plan for the tourism revival.
This Buddha Jayanti will mark the lighting
of 2,564 lamps in Lumbini.
The LDC has urged all to celebrate the
Jayanti with prayers and worshipping in their homes.
Published in The Rising Nepal Daily on 2 May 2020.
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