Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badriprasad Pandey, has underscored the importance of developing cross-border infrastructure and strengthening connectivity to promote religious tourism. Speaking at the 8th Dharma-Dhamma Conference held in Gujarat, India, on Friday evening, Minister Pandey highlighted the need for constructing cross-border tourism infrastructure and facilitating the smooth movement of tourists.
In his address, Minister Pandey called for the creation of a cultural, tourism, and aviation cycle to enhance religious tourism and ensure a seamless experience for visitors to Nepal’s sacred sites. He emphasized the need for international collaboration to preserve and promote spiritual heritage, stating, “To build our cultural, tourism, and aviation cycle, and to promote religious tourism, we must strengthen cross-border infrastructure and improve transportation. We invite collaboration to create an environment where visitors from around the world can easily experience the sanctity of our religious sites.”
According to the Minister’s private secretariat, Pandey also called for efforts to make Nepal’s sacred sites more accessible and to provide a meaningful spiritual experience that reflects the spirit of the conference. He noted that Nepal’s Pashupatinath, Halesi, and Muktinath, along with the Shantistupa in Varanasi, India, are shared heritage sites between the two nations. Minister Pandey extended an invitation to the conference participants to visit Nepal.
Emphasizing unity and diversity as fundamental values of Nepal’s traditions, Minister Pandey highlighted the enduring principles of peace and compassion embodied in Nepalese culture. He remarked, “Our majestic mountains, sacred pilgrimage sites, and cultural heritage reflect cosmic power and divine presence. Therefore, Nepal stands as a living example of nature and divine forces.”
The conference, organized by the India Foundation, focused on the historical and contemporary relevance of Hindu and Buddhist philosophies, aiming to recognize and strengthen the connection between these two traditions.
