- Bhaktapur Municipality honored author and journalist Ashok Silwal for his significant contributions to tourism promotion during the 47th World Tourism Day celebrations.
- Senior politician Narayanman Bijukchhe and Mayor Sunil Prajapati presented Silwal with a certificate of appreciation for his impactful work in the tourism sector.
- Silwal, a Langtang Goodwill Ambassador, founded the "H2O Nepal Book Journey" to promote the country's diverse culture and spiritual traditions through literature.
- The recognition highlighted Silwal’s literary efforts, including books on Everest and Langtang, which showcase Nepal's tourism potential to domestic and international audiences.
Bhaktapur, Nepal: Bhaktapur Municipality has honored author, journalist, tour guide and Langtang Goodwill Ambassador Ashok Silwal for his contribution to tourism promotion in Bhaktapur.
Silwal was honored at a program held to mark the 47th World Tourism Day. Senior politician Narayanman Bijukchhe (Rohit) attended the event as the chief guest, while Bhaktapur Mayor Sunil Prajapati and other guests presented Silwal with a certificate of appreciation.
The municipality also recognized tourism-related organizations, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders for their contributions to promoting Bhaktapur as a tourism destination.
Silwal is an advisor to the Village Tourism Promotion Forum and founder of the Himalaya to Ocean (H2O) Nepal Book Journey, a literary and tourism initiative that aims to reach all 77 districts of Nepal and audiences abroad.
The initiative uses books and related programs to highlight Nepal’s tourism, nature, culture and spiritual traditions.
Silwal has published three books as part of the initiative: Everest: An Unfinished Story, Ocean: The Sound of the Himalayas and Appa Deepo Bhava.
Everest: An Unfinished Story focuses on the Everest region, including the experiences of people connected with the mountain, the challenges of the journey and the impact of the 2015 earthquake.
Ocean: The Sound of the Himalayas explores the relationship between the Himalayas and the ocean and carries the message of “One Earth, One Family.”
Appa Deepo Bhava, based on Silwal’s Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage, deals with his spiritual experiences and reflections on the journey.
His forthcoming book, Langtang: From Death to Life, focuses on Langtang’s recovery after the 2015 earthquake and the experiences of local communities affected by the disaster.
Silwal has been using the H2O Nepal Book Journey to connect his writing with tourism promotion and to share stories about Nepal with readers in the country and abroad.
