Nepal and Italy Connect Through Photography at #photoNepal Exhibition

Kathmandu – The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is hosting a special photo exhibition titled “A Tale of Two Lands: Nepal meets Sicily” as part of its ongoing #photoNepal visual dialogue campaign. The exhibition, running from November 3 to 5, 2025 (Kartik 17–19, 2082) at the NTB Courtyard in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, presents a captivating visual connection between Nepal and Italy.

Featuring 25 stunning photographs by Italian photographer Valentina Brancaforte, the exhibition captures the rich cultural diversity and shared human emotions that unite the two countries. Visitors can explore the exhibition free of charge from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, enjoying a unique cross-cultural experience through photography.

Launched in February 2016 with a photo exhibition of the renowned Swiss geologist Dr. Toni Hagen, the #photoNepal campaign aims to showcase Nepal’s natural, cultural, and human landscapes to the world. Since then, the campaign has consistently organized exhibitions highlighting Nepal’s beauty and creativity through photography.

The exhibition was inaugurated under the chief guestship of senior photojournalist Gopal Chitrakar, with the presence of Acting CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Hikmat Singh Ayer and Photojournalist Club President Dwarika Kafle. Sudhan Suvedi, senior officer of the Nepal Tourism Board and coordinator of the PhotoNepal campaign, shared that the #PhotoNepal visual campaign began in 2016 to showcase Nepal’s cultural, natural, and human beauty to the world through photography. After the inauguration, Gopal Chitrakar expressed his happiness at seeing photography promoted as a form of cultural diplomacy by the Nepal Tourism Board. Dwarika Kafle said such exhibitions inspire and energize photographers’ creative efforts, while Hikmat Singh Ayer highlighted that these efforts effectively present Nepal’s cultural and religious diversity internationally and that the board will collaborate with all photographers in such campaigns.

In addition to physical exhibitions, NTB manages a digital photo portal at www.photo.ntb.gov.np, now also accessible via photoNepal.travel. The platform hosts over 25,000 photographs contributed by more than 11,000 members, allowing photographers and enthusiasts to upload and explore images of Nepal’s diverse landscapes, cultural heritage, and vibrant human experiences.

The “A Tale of Two Lands” exhibition emphasizes the parallels between the religious and cultural festivals of Nepal and Sicily, showcasing how photography can communicate universal human values. By capturing the vibrancy, spirituality, and communal joy of these celebrations, the exhibition underscores the emotional and cultural connections that transcend geographic boundaries.

Speaking about the exhibition, NTB CEO Deepak Raj Joshi said, “Nepal’s festivals and cultures have the power to form emotional connections with societies across the world. ‘A Tale of Two Lands’ delivers that message, the unity within diversity. Through the #photoNepal campaign, we continue to present Nepal as a country to be felt and experienced, inspiring through visual storytelling.”

The NTB warmly invites art enthusiasts, photographers, media representatives, and the general public to visit the exhibition and experience Nepal’s culture, emotion, and creativity through the lens of international photography.