(Photos: Pradep Raj Onta)
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who is on an official visit to Nepal, has visited Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
Guterres, who arrived in Nepal on Sunday, reached Pokhara on Monday. He reached Lumbini after visiting Annapurna Base Camp from Pokhara.
He was received in Lumbini by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Sudan Kirati among others.
During his visit to the Lumbini area, Guterres paid homage to Mayadevi Temple. He walked from Shanti Deep to Mayadevi Temple. He also planted trees.
Soon after, he attended the reception organized by Lumbini Development Trust. Likewise, Secretary-General Guterres signed the guest visitor's book kept at the Development Fund.
Secretary-General Guterres was briefed by the Lumbini Development Trust on the Lumbini Development Master Plan including excavation, exploration, research and historical and archaeological significance.
Guterres is the sixth UN Secretary-General to visit Lumbini. U Thant was the first Secretary General to visit Lumbini in 1967.
