POKHARA: The second edition of the Nepal-China Friendly Dragon Boat Race Festival commenced on Sunday at Fewa Lake, a major tourist attraction in Pokhara.
The event aims to promote tourism by fostering cultural and people-to-people ties between Nepal and China.
Participants from Nepal, China, and Singapore are competing in the festival, which will run until December 30.
A total of 20 teams are taking part in the competition, jointly organized by the Gandaki Provincial Government, Pokhara Metropolitan City, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, and the Nepal Tourism Board.
At the festival’s inauguration, Minister for Youth and Sports, Tejulal Chaudhary, highlighted the role of sports in building a prosperous nation and a harmonious society.
He expressed confidence that the festival would enhance unity and harmony among countries and communities through the medium of sports.
Minister Chaudhary further emphasized that the Dragon Boat Race Festival would boost Pokhara’s sports and tourism sectors while strengthening the friendly ties between the people of Nepal and China.
He noted that China is a significant tourism partner for Nepal and voiced his belief that this competition would make a meaningful contribution to the promotion and development of Nepal’s tourism, particularly in Pokhara.
A group of 129 players arrived in Pokhara on December 29 via a chartered flight from Chengdu, China, to participate in the festival. The teams have been training daily at Fewa Lake in preparation for the races.
The competition features eight teams from China, one from Singapore, and 11 teams from various regions of Nepal.
The Nepali teams include Gandaki, Bagmati, Karnali, Tribhuvan Army Club, Dragon Boat Gandaki, Begnas Team, Rupatal Team, and the Nepal Rafting Agencies Association (NARA).
The winners of the 500-meter and 200-meter races will receive $5,000, while the runners-up and third-place teams will be awarded $2,000 and $1,200, respectively.
(Photos: RSS and Nepal Photo Library)
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