The Nepal Olympic Committee launched an art festival to inspire the next generation ©OCA/NOC

The Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) has held an Asian Games Art Festival, encouraging students to show their creativity and reflect the joy of sport. 

The festival is one of the Olympic Council of Asia's (OCA) three promotional activities under the Asian Games For All scheme rolled out before Hangzhou 2022.

An fun run and youth reporter project are the others.

Asian Games For All seeks to engage societies all over the continent, help develop sport, culture and education among the youth of Asia and build excitement for Hangzhou 2022.

NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha emphasised the meaningful relationship between sport and art and encouraged students at the Asian Games Art Festival to express themselves.

National athletes Muna Basukala and Kaji Shrestha also provided words of encouragement. 

Table tennis player Basukala claimed bronze at the South Asian Games held in Kathmandu in 2019, while Shrestha has secured two gold medals in karate at the South Asian Games. 

A total of 62 participants from 17 schools took part.  

Muna Basukala, who won table tennis bronze at the South Asian Games in Nepal in 2019, was in attendance at the Asian Games Art Festival ©OCA/NOC
Muna Basukala, who won table tennis bronze at the South Asian Games in Nepal in 2019, was in attendance at the Asian Games Art Festival ©OCA/NOC

The NOC will organise an exhibition of the artwork tomorrow and judges will choose the best five entries by girls and best five by boys, with the top 10 each receiving a special gift.

All participants will be presented with a participation certificate to acknowledge their contribution to the Olympic Movement in both Nepal and Asia.

The art competition was open to students aged 13 and below, and the youngest entrant was just five.

Hangzhou 2022 is scheduled to be held from September 10 to 25, although some doubt persists given the coronavirus pandemic and China's strict anti-COVID-19 measures.