Himal Press 
BUTWAL: Lumbini is hosting a three-day International Conference on Greater Lumbini Area on September 18-20.
The conference is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Lumbini Development Trust; UNESCO and the World Bank.
The event will be held at the Lumbini Buddhist University.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel is scheduled to inaugurate the conference.
More than 150 national and international participants, including senior government officials, Buddhist religious leaders and community representatives, heritage experts, tourism experts, development partners and local representatives, are expected to attend the event, according to Nawa Basnyat Thapa, head of UNESCO’s Culture Sector. She added that discussions at the conference will focus on transforming the Greater Lumbini Area through heritage conservation, visitor management, strengthening tourism infrastructure and services and inclusive local economic development.
“The three-day conference aims to translate theoretical discussions into concrete courses of action,” she said.
The Greater Lumbini Area encompasses several important archaeological and religious sites, including Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha; the ancient Tilaurakot palace, where Buddha was born and spent 20 years of his life; Devdaha, believed to be the maternal home of Queen Mayadevi; Ramgram, where Buddha’s relics are believed to be preserved; and Panditpur.
Gyanin Rai, acting member secretary of the Lumbini Development Trust, said the conference is being organized under the Greater Lumbini Area Development (GLAD) Project being implemented with support from the World Bank.
He said experts at the conference will discuss ways to improve tourism-related infrastructure and services in the Greater Lumbini Area, promote local employment and ensure heritage-friendly development, with a focus on implementing the project initiated by the Nepal government.
A joint declaration will be issued at the conclusion of the three-day conference.
According to the organizers, around 150 participants, including experts from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar, the UK, Australia and Thailand, will attend the conference in person, while another 100 participants are expected to join through video conference.
Lumbini was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The World Heritage Committee in 2026 urged Nepal to undertake further work on various aspects related to the conservation of Lumbini.
UNESCO said the conference will also feature Buddhist meditation and interactions with Buddhist religious leaders, as well as field visits to Lumbini and Tilaurakot-Kapilvastu.
