Lumbini holds peace marathon to mark first peace festival

Lumbini: A peace marathon was held on Saturday in Nepal’s Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to mark the first Lumbini international peace festival.

Hundreds of participants joined the “Run For World Peace” program, which included 42.195-km full marathon, 21-km half marathon, three-km walkathon and five-km run.

The first Lumbini international peace festival also featured an international meditation day, which was held on Friday and involved 100 monks, nuns and some 700 practitioners, and a peace concert that was given on Saturday evening for around 2,000 spectators.

Runners participate in “Run For World Peace” program in Lumbini, Nepal, April 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Yi Aijun)

Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song participated in the program.

The Lumbini international peace festival was jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, the Lumbini Development Trust, Nepal Olympic Committee and Province Sports Council Nepal.