Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The China Foundation for Rural Development (CFRD), in collaboration with Alibaba Philanthropy, has officially launched the Panda Pack Sports Kit project in Nepal.
The initiative was unveiled during the Lumbini International Peace Festival attended by dignitaries including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, according to a statement issued by the CFRD.
The project, valued at 1.5 million RMB (approximately Rs 28 million), will distribute 1,500 sports kits to 200 government schools across Nepal. Each kit includes essential sports equipment such as footballs, volleyballs, basketballs, table tennis gear, badminton rackets and jump ropes, among others. According to the CFRD, this initiative aims to inspire Nepali youth to embrace sports, promote physical education, and cultivate values of teamwork, resilience and excellence.
During the donation ceremony, Zou Zhiqiang, Country Director of CFRD’s Nepal Office, handed over a donation plaque to Mr. Jeevan Shrestha, President of the Nepal Olympic Committee. Zou emphasized the project’s goal of enhancing the role of sports in Nepal’s education system and fostering future talents with healthy bodies and positive spirits.
Speaking on the occasion CFRD Country Director Director Zou Zhiqiang said they were hopeful that these equipment would create more opportunities for sports teaching and activities in Nepali schools, promoting the popularization and development of physical education
in Nepal, and cultivating more future talents with healthy bodies and positive spirits for
Nepal.
Likewise, the Chairperson of the Nepal Olympics Committee Jeevan Ram Shrestha said this generous donation will significantly advance youth sports in Nepal and strengthen the friendly ties between our two nations.
On March 21, CFRD distributed 60 sports kits to 10 government schools in the Nepal-India border area of Lumbini. According to the CFRD, these kits will benefit nearly 6,000 students.
Meanwhile, CFRD distributed running bags bearing the logos of Alibaba Philanthropy and the Nepal Olympic Committee to the participants of the marathon organized on the sidelines of the Lumbini International Peace Festival.
Since its inception in 2019, the International Panda Pack Project has benefited over 270,000 students in Nepal. The 2024 upgrade introduces the Sports Kit and cultural exchange activities, further solidifying the bond between China and Nepal while promoting a lasting sports spirit among young people, according to the CFRD.
