The preparation for United Nations Secretary-General H.E. Antonio Guterres' visit to Lumbini is in full swing. In the four-day itinerary of his visit to Nepal, starting on October 14, preparations have begun for his pilgrimage to the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini. The Lumbini Development Trust initiated the preparations after setting the time for Guterres' visit. On Saturday, the Lumbini Cultural Municipality, along with Buddhist monks and nuns, held a meeting to discuss making the Secretary-General's visit grand. Guterres has been invited to Nepal by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda).

Dr. Lharkyal Lama (Khenpo Chhime), the Vice chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust has urged for a collective effort to make Secretary-General Guterres' Lumbini pilgrimage grand. The Secretary-General's visit to Lumbini is expected to spread the message of world peace from this iconic place.

Guterres will arrive in Nepal on October 14 at 8:35 AM at Gautam Buddha International Airport and a well-organized program has been prepared for his direct arrival to Lumbini via helicopter. He will be guided from the helipad to Gate Four through Eternal Peace Flame and will proceed to the Maya Devi Temple.

The meeting was attended by the treasurer Dhundiraj Bhattarai, Secretary Sanuraja Shakya, Project Chief Saroj Bhattarai, Administration Chief Gyanin Rai, Information and Public Relations Chief Dr. Hari D. Rai and other officers of the Trust, Mayor Sajuruddin Khan and Deputy Mayor Kalpana Harijan of the Lumbini Cultural Municipality and nuns and monks of Lumbini International Monastic Zone also participated the preparatory meeting.

Earlier, Secretary-General Guterres had scheduled his visit to Nepal from October 13 to 15. However, the visit was postponed after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Guterres has also prepared a schedule for addressing a joint session of the Federal Parliament of Nepal on October 14.

Antonio Guterres served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2000 and is currently serving his second term as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, having been appointed in 2016. In the past, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had also visited Nepal in 2008.