Pangboche Monastery to Be Restored Through U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Grant

August 18, 2010

The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the Mountain Institute is this year's recipient of funding from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). With a grant totaling $83,500 USD, (around Nepali Rupees 61 Lakh) the Mountain Institute will restore the Pangboche Monastery, one of the oldest centers of Sherpa learning and culture in the Solu-Khumbu region.

Specifically, with this grant the Mountain Institute will restore the Pangboche monastery and its environs to preserve its historical importance in order for it to better serve its surrounding communities and their needs. Pangboche Monastery, located in a small Sherpa village in the Solu-Khumbu district, was established in the 16th century by the Lama Sangwa Dorji, who accompanied early waves of Sherpa migrants from Tibet at that time. The Lama also established the nearby Tengboche monastery and was a founder of Buddhist learning in the region. A chorten near Pangboche monastery contains some of his relics. As the highest permanent settlement on the road to Everest, Pangboche currently serves as a vital center for the surrounding populations, particularly during the observance of annual cultural festivals.

Over the past ten years, the U.S. Government has committed approximately $1,340,00 dollars to restore and preserve nine cultural sites throughout Nepal. Projects previously supported by the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation include the restoration of Kal Bhairav and Kageshwor Temples in Kathmandu's Durbar Square, renovating ancient Buddhist chhortens in upper Mustang, and continuing the restoration of Patan Durban Square in Lalitpur.

Established by Congress in 2000 and administered by the U.S. Department of State, the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation annually provides direct grant support for the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects and collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression in countries around the world selected through a highly-competitive process. Since its inception, the Fund has demonstrated America's respect for the cultural heritage of other countries by supporting more than640 cultural preservation projects in more than 100 countries.