Rt. Honorable President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav Flags off Apa and his team for GHT-CSCT

His Excellency, Rt. Honorable Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President, of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal flagged off Apa Sherpa, 21times Mt. Everest Summiter and his team members Dawa Steven Sherpa, Saurav Dhakal and Samir Jung Thapa who will be walking on 1,700 km and 120 days long The Great Himalaya Trail- Climate Smart Celebrity Trek (GHT-CSCT) on 12th January, 2012 at his office in Sheetal Niwas.

His Excellency handed over the national flag to Apa Sherpa and his team which they will carry on their historic trek that begins from Taplejung in Eastern Nepal and ends in Darchula in the Far West. The trek will commence on 15th January 2012 and end on 13th May 2012. Today’s event will mark the beginning of this historical trek that would take Apa Sherpa ,Dawa Steven Sherpa, Saurav Dhakal, Samir Jung Thapa to hundreds of villages across 20 different districts of Nepal over a four month period.

The trek is organized to highlight the impacts of climate change in the Himalayas and to promote The Great Himalaya Trail as the best tourism trail in the world which offers trekkers to experience extremely rich cultures, breathtaking landscapes and diverse range of flora and fauna.

Speaking on the occasion Rt. Honorable Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President, Republic of Nepal said “This trek will help to identify the impacts of Climate Change in the Himalayas, and showcase how sustainable tourism can be used as a tool for poverty reduction and to build climate-resilience among impoverished mountain communities in Nepal”.

Apa Sherpa said “The world wants to support Nepali communities in their climate battle but they need to be told how and where. My effort to walk from East to West in Nepal is to find places and people that need the attention and help of the world in their climate battle”.

Prashant singh said “The support of Government of Nepal and its development partner private sector and media has been tremendous. We now expect global celebrities to lend their voice for the people in the Himalayas suffering from climate change”.