#kora24 in Kathmandu | Media Advisory

#kora24 in Kathmandu | Media Advisory

Lalitpur, 17 July 2024

The 14th edition of Kora, the Biggest Ride in the Himalaya is all set to happen this Saturday, 20th July / Shrawan 5, all over Nepal. Over 4000 cyclists will ride in over 15 locations in Nepal, covering over 200,000 kms. Every year, they also ride to raise funds for charity, this time to upgrade the Pump Track in Nepalgunj.

Started in 2011 with just 35 riders, the Kathmandu ride has always started and ended in Old Patan, and makes a clockwise circuit of Kathmandu in 50 km, 75 km, 100 km and a newly introduced Ultra distance of 140 kms. Every year, the event happens on the third Saturday of July. The Kathmandu edition is still the largest and is expected this year to reach about 2500 riders

This year Lalitpur Metropolitan City, has teamed up with Kora 2024 to co-host the cycling festival and make the Kathmandu edition an event of the city.

“Lalitpur aims to be a smart cycle-friendly city, and without a critical mass of inhabitants riding cycles, we can never reach that status,” said Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan. “Events like the Kora help this process of getting more and more people cycling, and creating a cycle culture within the city”, he added. “We have been promoting cycling by investing in cycling infrastructure such as cycle lanes and cycle stands and supporting women cyclists and now, we are happy to partner with home grown initiatives like Kora” he said, announcing this partnership.

Inclusion and women participation in particular has been a big focus of the Kora, and registrations have jumped, with overall participation of women in Kora jumping from 11% the previous year to 22% last year with 34% women participation in Kathmandu alone. It also helps that there are several initiatives in Lalitpur that are working on cycling training for women, which leads to an important aspect of empowerment through cycling in the community. 

“We need to get more women on cycles”, says Bhushan Tuladhar, Chief of Party of the USAID Clean Air, which is supporting Kora to become more inclusive by providing training to women cyclists on cycling skills, cycle mechanics and first aid so that they can become Marshals who lead the Kora. A training of trainers has also developed women trainers who can help provide quality training to other women. “Women are important change agents in society and when a woman cycles, the whole family cycles,” he said.

“At Team Kora, we wish to cultivate a healthy community of riders all over Nepal, who come out to ride for fun. Everything we do at the kora, from distributing quality jerseys and neck bands, rewarding every rider with a medal, bringing several different stakeholders together, all go towards building this community. The critical mass of cycling enthusiasts (specially women riders) that this might result in is an absolute bonus”, says Raj Gyawali, Founder of socialtours and the person who designed the Kora Cycling Challenge back in 2011.

The Kora Cycling Challenge is organised by socialtours, Cycle City Network Nepal and Pangro Trade and Service Pvt. Ltd. The main partners of this edition of the Kora in Kathmandu are the Lalitpur Metropolitan City, USAID Clean Air, Nabil Bank, Australian Embassy, Turkish Airlines and the Himalayan Everest Insurance. It is also supported by around 60 other organizations, groups and individuals – from cycle shops, photographers, cafes, design companies, IT companies, gear manufacturers, local clubs, restaurants, hotels etc – all contributing towards building a healthy community – connected by the love of a healthy sport.

More Information at www.mykorachallenge.com or social media challenge under the @korachallenge handle.
Contact for more information: Raj Gyawali, 9851021984

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मिति: २०८१ साउन १ 

प्रेस बिज्ञप्ति 

साइकल प्रवर्धनको लागि नेपाल कै ठुलो साइकल जात्रा “कोरा २०२४” आयोजना हुने

यो शनिवार साउन ५ गते देशकै ठुलो साइकल जात्रा “कोरा २०२४” को १४ औं संस्करण आयोजना हुँदै छ जहाँ करिब ४,००० साइकल यात्रीले नेपालको १५ भन्दा बढी स्थानमा दुइ लाख किलोमिटर भन्दा बढी दुरी तय गर्ने छन्।  हरेक वर्ष जस्तै यो वर्ष पनि साइकल यात्रीहरुले समाजिक कामको लागि रकम पनि संकलन गर्ने छ।  यो वर्ष संकलन गरिने रकम ललितपुरको गुन्सिङ्गालमा रहेको साइकल पम्प ट्रयाक जस्तै नेपालगंजमा रहेको पम्प ट्रयाक सुधार गर्न प्रयोग गरिने छ।  

सन् २०११ मा ३५ जना बाट  शुरु भएको काठमाडौँको कोरा साइकल यात्रा हरेक वर्ष पाटनको मंगलबजारबाट शुरु भइ काठमाडौँ उपत्यकाको एक फन्को लगाएर पाटन कै नागबाहालमा अन्त हुने गर्छ।  साइकल यात्रीहरुले यस क्रममा आफ्नो इच्छा अनुसार ५० किलोमिटर, ७५ किलोमिटर, १०० किलोमिटर वा १४० किलोमिटरको यात्रा तय गर्ने छ।  हरेक वर्ष जुलाई महिनाको तेस्रो शनिवार आयोजना हुने कोरामा यो वर्षको काठमाडौँ कोरामा ललितपुर महानगरपालिका पनि सह-आयोजकको रुपमा सहभागी भएको छ।  

ललितपुर महानगरपालिकाको प्रमुख चिरिबाबु महर्जन भन्नु हुन्छ “ललितपुर स्मार्ट सिटि बन्न चाहन्छ र यसको लागि नगरवासीहरुले साइकल चढ्न सक्ने वातावरण बनाइ साइकल संस्कृतिको विकास गर्न आवश्यक छ। हामीले ललितपुरमा साइकल प्रवर्धन गर्न साइकल लेन र साइकल स्टेन्ड बनाउने, र महिला साइकल यात्रीहरुलाई सहयोग गर्ने काम गरिरहेका छौं र ‘कोरा’ जस्ता स्थानीय प्रयासहरुसंगको सहकार्यले यस अभियानलाई थप टेवा दिने छ।”   

साइकल संस्कृतिको विकास गर्न महिला, बालबालिका लगायत समाजका सबै वर्गलाई समेत समावेश गर्न आवश्यक भएकोले कोराले महिला सहभागिता बढाउन विशेष प्रयास गर्दै आइरहेको छ, जसको कारण गएको वर्ष काठमाडौँ कोरामा महिला यात्रीहरुको संख्या ३४ % पुगेको थियो। यसै सम्बन्धमा ललितपुरका विभिन्न भागमा महिलाहरुलाई  साइकल चढ्ने, साइकलको मर्मत सम्भार गर्ने र प्राथमिक उपचारको तालिम दिने काम पनि भैरहेको छ र यसमा स्थानीय महिला समुहहरु र USAID स्वच्छ हावा आयोजनाको समेत सहभागिता रहेको छ।   

कोरा आयोजनाको मूल उदेश्य देश भरि नै साइकलिस्ट समुदायहरु विकास गरि साइकल संस्कृतिको प्रवर्धन गर्नु हो।  यसमा सोसल टुर्स, साइकल सिटि नेटवर्क नेपाल, पाङ्ग्रो, ललितपुर महानगरपालिका, USAID स्वच्छ हावा, अष्ट्रेलियन राजदुतावास, नबिल बैंक, टर्किस एअरलाइन्स, हिमालयन एभेरेस्ट इन्स्युरेन्स लगायत विभिन्न संघ संस्थाले सहकार्य गरेको छ।  

थप जानकारीको लागि: www.mykorachallenge.com र सामाजिक संजालमा @korachallenge फलो गर्नु होला।  सम्पर्क व्यक्ति: राज ज्ञवाली, ९८५१०२१९८४