Honorable Ministers
His Excellency Mr Richard Morris the British Ambassador to Nepal
The office bearers of the Government of Nepal and National Botanical Garden
Ladies and Gentlemen!
It is a matter of immense delight that, on the happy occasion of the completion of the 200th year of diplomatic relations between Nepal and the United Kingdom, a Biodiversity Educational Garden has been constructed in the National Botanical Garden which itself was established fifty-four years ago in this Godawari area of clement weather, religious and cultural importance at the foothills of naturally beautiful and holy Fulchokee Mountain. Thanking all the contributors in the construction of this garden including Forest and Land Conservation Ministry, Department of Botany, I congratulate the people of Nepal and the United Kingdom upon the completion of 200th year of happy diplomatic relations between both the countries.
The garden consists of eighty-eight botanical species representing cold, clement, and hot climate regions of our country, which comprises Himalayas, Hills and Terai. Spanning across 1.3 hectares of land, this garden’s collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, better known as Kew Gardens, near London, founded in 1759, has also become a symbol of long traditional relationship between Nepal and the United Kingdom.
Our country is very rich in terms of bio-diversity. There are more than 7,000 botanical species here, and the National Botanical Garden has collected a herbarium of 5,000 species for systematic botanical study, research and conservation, thereby making a great contribution in these areas.
The establishment of Biodiversity Educational Garden has contributed to create awareness among scientists, students, environmentalists, and common people about the inalienable, age-old relationship between plants and human beings concerning herbal medicine, food, fuel, and shelter. In addition, it will make people aware of environment tourism, conservation of botanical resources for the future generations, and the importance of development. I believe that the establishment of this garden will contribute in tackling with the negative consequences of climate change, and inspire people to propagate and conserve nature.
Last but not the least; I thank everyone involved in the establishment and management of this Biodiversity Educational Garden.
Thank you!