Nepal Olympic Committee is planning to organise a walkathon to celebrate International Day of Sports for Development and Peace ©Nepal NOC

Nepal Olympic Committee is set to organise a series of activities, including a walkathon, at Lumbini - the birthplace of Gautama Buddha – to celebrate International Day of Sports for Development and Peace (IDSPD).

"As we are talking of development and peace, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha is the venue to celebrate the day," said Nepal Olympic Committee President Jeevan Ram Shrestha.

"We have plans to make it a grand event inviting International Olympic Committee officials and representatives of all 207 National Olympic Committees in the IOC to Lumbini in the years to come, apart from organising a Peace Walkathon.

"If we can do that, it will help in promoting Lumbini on the international arena and also support the tourism sector."

Nepal Olympic Committee is hoping to put "Lumbini on the international arena and also support the tourism sector" by organising a Peace Walkathon" during IDSPD ©Nepal NOC
Nepal Olympic Committee is hoping to put "Lumbini on the international arena and also support the tourism sector" by organising a Peace Walkathon" during IDSPD ©Nepal NOC

Lumbini Province Chief Minister Kul Bahadur will inaugurate the programme, while Minister Basuddin Khan and Lumbini Development Trust vice chairman Venerable Metteyya Sakyaputta will switch on the lights at the venue after the completion of the "Peace Walkathon".

Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal.

It is claimed that Siddhartha Gautama or Lord Buddha was born in the place in 623 B.C.