Nepalmountainnews Report | 28 May 2008
International Everest award conferred each year on May 29 is due to honour veteran mountaineer Appa Sherpa this year. Nepal Mountaineering Association, the mountaineering body in the country has announced that it has decided to confer this year's Everst award to Appa to honour his contineous devotion in development and promotion of mountains in the country. The award comprises Rs 5 million cash and a letter of appriciation.
Meanwhile, the record-holder Mt Everest conqueror Appa has said that he did not reach atop the world’s highest peak to set a record but to let the whole world hear about the “cry of the Himalayas”.
“I have already decided to abandon commercial climbing. But this year, I had a reason to make a sudden decision to climb Everest. I want to draw attention of the world about the melting of glaciers in and around the Mt Everest,” he said, talking to mediapersons at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Tuesday.
He also said climbing Everest is thrilling as ever but the world should be concern about the possible hazards the indigenous people of the mountain area may face any day, because of global warming and melting of glaciers.
This year he made 18th ascent to the 8,848-metre high Mt Everest.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation stated that four persons belonging 2008 IMG Everest Expedition II today scaled Everest. An eight-member team of AP Everest Expedition 2008 reached Everest summit on May 23, the ministry added.
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