KATHMANDU: A weeklong festival aimed at highlighting and promoting the cultural essence of Swoyambhu, a UNESCO world heritage site, has begun on Wednesday.

The festival ‘Weeklong Swoyambhu Cultural Festival’ inaugurated by Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya kicked off coinciding with the launching of Visit Nepal 2020.

On the occasion, Mayor Shakya pledged to develop the site into a major touristic destination by connecting it with the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square area through a trekking route.

The distance between Swoyambhu and Hanumandhoka Durbar Square is around 2.2 kilometers.

A master plan to this regard has already been prepared and works have been expedited to materialize the plan, Shakya said.