Narchyang (Myagdi) . The Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the first ascent of Mt Annapurna have begun. The celebration event was inaugurated by welcoming a team that trekked from Narchyang in Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 of Myagdi to the base camp of Mt Annapurna at the entry point of the trekking route, Narchyang Valley on Saturday. Mathias Herzog the son of the first person to reach the summit of 8,091-meter-high Mt Annapurna, Maurice Herzog of France was part of a team of 14 foreigners, tourism entrepreneurs, and journalists who came to participate in the trekking team starting from Sunday. They were welcomed by the Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 Ward Office, Annapurna, Janajagaran Youth Club, and the Creative Mothers' Group. French artists who came with Mathias Herzog made musical presentation in honour of the first climber. They are also scheduled to perform at the Annapurna Base Camp this evening.

Six guests from France, three from Britain, five from India and one from Italy, including the son of the first climber Maurice, Mathias, and grandson Ethan Herzog, have come to participate in the Diamond Jubilee program at the invitation of the government, said Lok Bahadur Pun, Ward Chair of Annapurna Rural Municipality-4. According to him, about 200 people are participating in the Maurice Herzog trekking team that will reach the Annapurna Base Camp at an altitude of 4,100 meters today via Narchyang valley, Humkhola, Phutphute Jharana, Sandhikharka, Bhusket, Panchkunda Lake. The Diamond Jubilee will be celebrated by holding various programs until June 5, said Annapurna Rural Municipality Chair Bharat Kumar Pun. Annapurna is called the eldest mountain because it was the first human step above eight thousand meters. On June 3, 1950, the French team of Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the summit of Annapurna. ---