Sikhism now an official religion in Austria

AMRITSAR: Sikhs of Austria will now be able to use Singh and Kaur after their forename, mention Sikhism as their religion, and register themselves as Sikhs after the Sikh religion was officially registered by the Austrian government.
While talking to TOI over the phone from Vienna on Monday, Jatinder Singh Bajwa, secretary Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji Parkash, 22nd District, Vienna, said now the Sikhs and their children would be able to use Singh and Kaur after their forenames which they earlier used to write in the ‘extra name’ column.
About the process of registration of Sikhism in Austria, he informed that there were seven gurdwara’s in Austria out of which three were in Vienna with one gurdwara each in Klagenfurt, Linz, Graz and Salzburg.
The gurdwara management committees of Austria then constituted a nine-member-committee of Sikh youth on November 1, 2019 who was entrusted with the task of pursing the registration process of the Sikh religion with the Austrian government.
Jatinder, the only professional Sikh chef in Vienna, informed that the committee prepared a ‘constitution’ on Sikh religion and their practices incorporating the values of Sikhism, Sikh guru’s, Akal Takht’s rehat maryada (religious code of Sikh living), significance of Sikh religious symbols, the value of 5 K’s in the life of a Sikh, their distinct identity, Sikh’s turban, etc. which was submitted with the Austrian government.
“On December 17 we received a letter informing about the registration of Sikhism in Austria and on December 23rd we held a thanksgiving prayer in the gurdwara” he said.
Reacting to the development, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Bibi Jagir Kaur said that “this is an important achievement attained with the efforts of sangat in Austria.”
“Now that Sikhism is registered in Austria, it will help in dispelling the myths of Sikh identity abroad,” said Kaur

European Parliament to scrutinise deal on future EU-UK relations

Provisional implementation is to remain a unique exception, said EP leaders. Parliamentary oversight will start soon to adopt the EP position before the end of the provisional application.

On Monday 28 December, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament and President David Sassoli exchanged views with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on the deal reached on 24 December on the future relationship between the EU and the UK.

The Conference of Presidents reiterated Parliament’s thanks and congratulations to the EU negotiators for their intense efforts to reach this historic agreement that can now form the basis of a new partnership.

In the spirit of unity that prevailed throughout the negotiation process, and given the particular, unique and specific circumstances, the Conference of Presidents accepts a provisional application to mitigate the disruption for citizens and businesses and prevent the chaos of a no-deal scenario. This decision on this specific provisional application neither constitutes a precedent nor reopens established commitments made among EU institutions. It should not serve as a blueprint for future consent procedures, underlined the political groups’ leaders.

The Conference of Presidents also decided to examine with the Council presidency and the Commission a proposal to slightly extend the period of provisional application, allowing for a parliamentary ratification during the March plenary session.

The Committees on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, together with all associated committees, will now carefully examine the agreement and prepare Parliament’s consent decision to be discussed and adopted in plenary in due time and before the end of the provisional application. In parallel, the political groups will prepare a draft resolution accompanying the consent vote.

The political groups’ leaders stressed Parliament’s will to monitor closely the implementation of the EU-UK agreement in all its details. They underlined that parliamentary cooperation is a key part of the future treaty between the EU and the UK. When the right time comes, Parliament will seek to establish contact with the UK Parliament to cooperate.

On a specific note, leaders regret the UK’s choice not to include Erasmus programme in the agreement.

Can people afford to pay for health care in Moldova?

Health system reforms in the Republic of Moldova have expanded the number of people benefiting from publicly financed health care and the range of services covered. Better access has reduced unmet need for health care. However, this greater use of services has increased people’s exposure to out-of-pocket payments – for example, through co-payments for outpatient medicines. A new report released by WHO finds that around 1 in 6 households in the Republic of Moldova experiences catastrophic health spending.

Medicines – largest single driver of financial hardship

Financial hardship is heavily concentrated among poor people, pensioners and people living in rural areas. Outpatient medicines are the largest single driver of catastrophic out-of-pocket payments and their contribution to financial hardship has increased over time.

For poorer households, inpatient care is the second-largest driver of catastrophic health spending, perhaps linked to informal payments for hospital care (the use of cash or presents to secure services), which have also increased.

Financial protection undermined by gaps in coverage

The share of the population covered by the Republic of Moldova’s national health insurance fund has increased in recent years, but over 10% of the population still lacks coverage, mainly because entitlement is linked to payment of health insurance contributions. The number of people who work in the informal sector and cannot afford to pay contributions is significant.

For those who are covered by the health insurance fund, financial protection may be undermined by the limited range of publicly financed outpatient medicines, heavy co-payments for these medicines, underdeveloped strategic purchasing and the practice of informal payments.

As a result of these gaps in coverage, poorer households are at high risk of being uninsured, facing financial barriers to access and experiencing catastrophic health spending.

Pandemic demonstrates value of universal health coverage

In working to control the COVID-19 outbreak, the Republic of Moldova has used reserve funds to guarantee free hospital treatment for everyone, regardless of health insurance status. As the longer-term economic disruption caused by COVID-19 becomes more evident, this short-term measure could be turned into a permanent feature. De-linking entitlement to all health services – not just hospital care – from payment of contributions would ensure that everyone is covered.

Re-designing the coverage of outpatient medicines will also help strengthen financial protection – for example, by extending the range of outpatient medicines covered, ensuring that poor households and people with chronic conditions are exempt from co-payments and introducing a cap on co-payments for everyone.

Moving towards universal health coverage requires a commitment to steadily increasing public spending on health. This is even more important in the context of COVID-19, which demands greater public investment in health, better use of existing resources and policy responses carefully designed to reduce unmet need and financial hardship for people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

“Universal health coverage must remain a policy objective that is central to the agenda of recovery and rebuilding in the coming months,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems in the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

City diplomacy offers opportunities

Published originally on December 26th 2020 at the TaipeiTimes.

This year has been unusual on many levels. In the midst of a global health crisis ravaging the world, Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil in September led a delegation of 89 civic and political leaders to Taiwan, the only corner of the world that for more than 250 days (until Tuesday) did not register a single locally transmitted COVID-19 infection.

The visit caused quite a stir in international media and intensified already strained ties between the EU and China. Taiwan, a technologically advanced economy with a robust democracy, is a like-minded partner of the EU, but remains a highly sensitive matter within EU-China relations.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, despite never having ruled it. The EU has its own “one China” policy, but has officially committed to promoting “practical solutions regarding Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks.”

Following the Czech delegation, Brussels and Beijing engaged in a harsh exchange, with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) threatening that the senate president would pay a “heavy price,” while his German counterpart warned China against making such threats against an EU member state.

As tensions in EU-China relations remain high, and international cooperation becomes more challenging, there is good reason to return to the visit, and consider some of its less talked about contributions.

Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib, who oversaw the signing of the Prague-Taipei sister city framework in January, was also in the delegation. In a global context where cities become key players in addressing complex challenges through innovation and creativity, this aspect deserves more attention.

As the pandemic has illustrated, local governments can increase their capacity to network internationally and bring solutions, while catalyzing new political consciousness. Cities shape identities. They help celebrate connectivity, diversity and openness by warming people-to-people relations and enhancing social networks. This, in turn, facilitates government-to-government ties.

Considering Taiwan’s abnormal international status, city diplomacy provides a particularly valuable platform to circumvent its isolation, by leveraging international cooperation and information sharing on a city-to-city level. Taiwan’s cities must further invest in such diplomacy and seek to build on the momentum the “Taiwan model” has ensured.

The sister-city agreement linking Prague and Taipei includes a wide range of cooperation, including on business, science, technology, tourism, education, healthcare and culture, as well as a smart city cooperation agreement. Through this partnership, the cities can act in their own right, stress collaboration over competition, empower their citizens and contribute to making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Taiwan is already working toward meeting the 17 SDGs. As COVID-19 is taking the world further away from the goals, cities’ contributions have become all the more relevant.

As such, Taipei has sought to advance several goals, including good health and well-being (Goal 3), quality education (Goal 4), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9), and sustainable cities (Goal 11).

Taiwan has a story to tell, but participating in international organizations will remain difficult. Taiwanese scientists were even excluded from participating in all UNESCO-affiliated events, which has shown that Taiwan is being excluded from international participation. It also indicates that China’s influence within UN organizations continues to increase. Yet, this should not constrain sharing science across cities. Cities are about choices and choices bring opportunities for all.

According to the Taipei City Government Web site, it has established ties with 51 sister cities across 37 countries. Four of these are in Europe: Versailles (1986), Warsaw (1995), Vilnius (1998) and Riga (2001). Since 2012, Helsinki is also a “friendship city” of Taipei.

These partnerships need a fresh approach and adjustment to address current challenges. In addition, it is evident that more similar cooperation should be built across Europe. This will require rapprochement from Europe and Taiwan. Both sides must recognize the value of using city diplomacy to leverage existing strengths and to enable new ones to flourish.

A meeting between Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony and Representative to Hungary Liu Shih-chung (劉世忠), a former Tainan deputy secretary-general, is a welcome initiative. The two exchanged ideas on smart cities, innovation and city diplomacy. The next welcome step would be to establish a sister-city agreement. This would benefit both cities, just like the Grenoble, France-Taoyuan sister-city cooperation signed in March 2018 is hoped to do, particularly in technology, innovation and circular economy.

Kaohsiung, with the largest harbor in Taiwan and among the top 50 world container ports, should also consider expanding its network in Europe, with Rotterdam, the Netherlands, or Antwerp, Belgium, adding to its only sister city in Europe, Erzgebirgskreis, Germany (1993).

In a hyper-connected world, cities across Taiwan should further embrace the practical benefits of city diplomacy. At the same time, as the EU rethinks its China policy, European cities must be more involved, and expand their international sister-city network.

Following the Czech delegation visit, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said the visit was proof that “nothing can stop Taiwan and the Czech Republic’s determination to defend freedom, democracy and protect human rights.”

Let city diplomacy take this forward into the year to come.

Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2020/12/26/2003749395

Humanitarian Charles Mully on Documentary Showcase

Scientology Network to Air Story of Celebrated Humanitarian Charles Mully on Documentary Showcase

Los Angeles, CA—December 10, 2020—In commemoration of Universal Human Rights Month, observed each December, Scientology Network’s Documentary Showcase is proud to announce its airing of the award-winning documentary Mully. It is the unforgettable story of a man born into poverty who went on to become one of the most celebrated humanitarians in world, airing on December 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Set in Kenya, Mully is the incredible and inspiring life story of Charles Mutua Mully, who was abandoned by his parents at the age of six and went from begging in the streets to becoming a self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur. At the pinnacle of his success, he shocks friends and family alike by using all his wealth to rescue, feed, adopt and educate over 20,000 homeless children who were living in the streets.

Mully captures the emotionally charged, turbulent twists and turns of Charles Mully’s life. It includes dramatic reenactments of his youth and candid interviews with his wife and children, who were initially opposed to Charles’s determination to turn their lives upside down for the sake of helping strangers. At times, the film plays like a scripted Hollywood feature, simply because this extraordinary man follows no other path but the one his heart tells him to follow.

Mully received numerous honors and awards, including the Austin Film Festival’s Audience Award and a 2016 Hot Docs Top Ten Audience Favorite.

Executive produced by Paul Blavin and directed by filmmaker Scott Haze, Mully is one of the great stories of human rights in action.

Watch the documentary on Scientology Network, DIRECTV Channel 320 or watch live on scientology.tv.

ABOUT DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE

Fundamental to Scientology is a humanitarian mission that extends to some 200 nations with programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief. For this reason, the Scientology Network provides a platform for Independent filmmakers who embrace a vision of building a better world.

DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE debuts films weekly from award-winning Independent filmmakers whose goal is to improve society by raising awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues.

For more information, visit scientology.tv/docs.

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The Scientology Network debuted on March 12, 2018. Since launching, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists; showing the Church as a global organization; and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The network also showcases documentaries by Independent filmmakers who represent a cross section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church’s global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and live streaming on scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

EU Favors Autocrats over Values

Rule of Law Conditionality Preserved, but Implementation Severely Delayed

It smacks of irony that on Human Rights Day, the European Union caved into pressure and granted another concession to Hungary and Poland’s rights-abusing leaders in order to reach a deal on the EU budget. Germany, in one of its last acts as rotating EU president, brokered the compromise with an “interpretative declaration” that ties the European Commission’s hands when it comes to conditioning EU funding upon respect for the rule of law.

The declaration, agreed last night, will likely have the effect of delaying for months, even years, the use of this innovative and once-promising tool. It commits the Commission to draft additional guidelines before applying the conditionality regulation, but then also says that the Commission should wait for a ruling of the EU Court of Justice before finalizing such guidelines, if Hungary or Poland decides to contest the legality of the regulation.

While the new concession won’t be a long-term victory for Hungary and Poland’s leadership, it offers them a chance to buy considerable time and consolidate their autocratic power with little consequences for years.

At the very least, the European Council should insist that any case before the EU Court be expedited to minimize delays in the effective use of rule of law conditionality. The European Commission should also make it clear that it could apply the conditionality regulation right from its entry into force – because the declaration is a non-legally-binding mechanism.

Although the German government had put the protection of fundamental values and rights in its top priorities for its presidency, it failed to propel forward the Council’s scrutiny of Hungary and Poland under Article 7 – the EU’s process to deal with governments putting the Union’s values at risk – and even declined recently to participate in a European Parliament debate on the rule of law in both countries. It is disappointing that Germany’s time in the EU rotating presidency ended with yet another concession to the bloc’s authoritarian-minded rulers.

The last weeks have shown that leaders who violate human rights have no shame in bullying and blackmailing the whole EU to shield themselves from any consequences for their actions. Now that the budget saga is over, EU leaders should urgently give Hungarian and Polish citizens fighting for their rights the attention they deserve, give full way to the new conditionality mechanism, and revive their scrutiny under Article 7.

European Union funds biodiversity conservation project in Vietnam

HCMC – The European Union is funding a biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability project in central Vietnam, which will focus on the establishment and operation of a conservation foundation and finance 21 biodiversity conservation initiatives.

With the EU’s contribution of 600,000 euros, the “Establishing a funding foundation for biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability” project is being jointly implemented by GreenViet and the Gustav-Stresemann Institute until the end of 2023.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has again shown us the importance of living in harmony with nature. We are convinced the project will bring tangible results on biodiversity conservation through the effective operation of the foundation,” Jesus Lavina, deputy head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Vietnam, said at the launch ceremony last week.

The project will help diversify financing resources for Vietnamese entities including 50 groups and organizations working in biodiversity conservation and environmental protection and fund 21 biodiversity conservation initiatives.

It will also help build capacity for raising awareness and cooperation among businesses and individuals to provide sustainable funding for conservation, communication and education, patrolling and monitoring to protect the red-shanked douc langurs, the endangered primates in the Son Tra Peninsula.

According to Bui Thi Minh Chau, representative of the Gustav-Stresemann Institute, the project offers a unique initiative that researches and develops feasible mechanisms for businesses, the local community and domestic and international tourists to participate in the conservation of nature and environmental protection in the central region.

The project is carried out in collaboration with the Vietnam Nature Conservation Fund, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Danang City, the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Danang Tourism Beaches and Danang City’s departments of Tourism, Natural Resources and Environment and Agriculture and Rural Development.

EU condemns execution of Iran opposition figure Zam

The European Union on Saturday condemned in the “strongest terms” Iran’s execution of Ruhollah Zam, a former opposition figure convicted of involvement in 2017 protests.

“The European Union condemns this act in the strongest terms and recalls once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances,” said a statement from the EU’s External Action Service.

“It is also imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.”

Zam was charged with “corruption on earth” — one of the most serious offences under Iranian law — and sentenced to death in June.

State TV aired an “interview” with him in July, in which he is seen saying he believed in reformism until he was detained in 2009 during protests against the disputed re-election of ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

READ ALSO: Students abduction despite Buhari’s presence in Katsina baffling —PDP

The EU said the death penalty was “a cruel and inhumane punishment” that did nothing to deter crime.

“The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any future executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty.”

(AFP)

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New volunteering programme for young people in Europe and beyond agreed

News | European Parliament

• Higher quality of activities and better conditions for volunteers
• Mandatory plans to include people with fewer opportunities
• Higher age limit for those volunteering in humanitarian aid

On Friday, Parliament and Council reached a political agreement on the European Solidarity Corps for 2021-2027, worth more than one billion EUR.

“Today’s agreement is excellent news for young people in the EU and beyond. The programme will start in January 2021 and Parliament managed to secure many gains for volunteers. Volunteering will the main activity of the programme, which has been our priority from the very beginning. We are now able to guarantee a higher quality of volunteering activities, by obliging hosts to offer new, useful skills and competences. Similarly, from now on we will be able to include many more people with fewer opportunities”, said Michaela Šojdrova (EPP,CZ), rapporteur on the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).

More value and better conditions for volunteers and target groups

MEPs ensured that host organisations will need to prove the quality of the volunteering activities on offer, with a focus on learning, and gaining skills and competences. Similarly, the organisations will need to prove they comply with occupational health and safety regulations.

Parliament also succeeded in better protecting target groups. Special clearance will be needed for volunteers working with children and people with disabilities. Programmes will also be required to prove that they contribute to positive societal changes in local communities.

Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities

Thanks to MEPs, the Commission and member states will have to present how they plan to include people with fewer opportunities. Young people will be able to volunteer in their own country, in particular those with fewer opportunities.

Higher age limit for humanitarian aid volunteers

Since humanitarian action poses specific challenges, MEPs insisted that the age limit of humanitarian aid volunteers be extended to 35 with a possibility to hire experts and coaches without the age limit.

Greener volunteering

In line with the European Green Deal, volunteering activities will have to respect the “do no harm” principle and the programmes will later be evaluated taking into account their contribution to the EU’s climate objectives, such as choosing climate-neutral means of transportation.

Next steps

The agreement reached today still needs to be formally approved by both Parliament and Council.

Tai Ji Men and the Fiscal Justice against a spiritual movement in Taiwan

As European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and myself as a human rights lawyer have witnessed and have been dealing with cases of discrimination against religious and spiritual minorities and their members too.

More than once fiscal and tax issues have been used by governments to the detriment of some groups in order to stop their activities, for instance, when the groups where growing too fast or when they were disliked by the authorities.

At times these groups are denied the tax exempt status, if such a system is implemented in the country, or the status is revoked after being enjoyed for some time.

This has happened also in Western countries, not only outside Europe as someone may think.

Taiwan is now a full democracy whose present status stems from a complicate past; but after all, the times of martial law have gone since long.

Taiwan is a great country that I was glad to visit more than once, and where I had also the pleasure to teach a course on Human Rights, Minority Law and Freedom of Religion and Belief at Soochow University, back in 2012.

I was impressed by the cultural, religious and spiritual diversity of Taiwan where, in the same building, worship places of different religions can be found. One next to the other. Literally.

The tax case involving the Tai Ji Men community has lasted for far too long. In fact even though all the tax claims have been erased in Court, and no claim should exist anymore, however a tax claim for year 1992 is still maintained by the Tax Office despite the Court judgments in favour of Tai Ji Men, and which risks to damage Tai Ji Men, after having cost them millions Taiwanese dollars in trials costs.

The ongoing TJM case is unacceptable generally speaking, and also very difficult to understand from a legal point-of-view.

Basing on the legal principle of “Estoppel”, it cannot be argued or asserted that Tai Ji Men have to pay taxes for the disputed year 1992 as there should be no dispute at all, being this a clear contradiction, especially, if we take into account the other principle of “legitimate expectation” (or legal certainty) according to which those who act in good faith on the basis of law as it is or seems to be, should not be frustrated in their expectations.

As European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and I personally hope and wish that this case can be concluded in the best possible way, honouring Tai Ji Men and also honouring Taiwan’s democratic achievements and commitments for the safeguard of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Our expectation is that Taiwan will honour these principles and by complying with them will finally fully meet all legal expectations of Tai Ji Men in this matter.

Mount Everest is now 8,848.86 metres tall after measurement

By   —  Shyamal Sinha

Mount Everest  Nepali: Sagarmāthā; Tibetan: Chomolungma Chinese:Zhūmùlǎngmǎ  is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point.  Its elevation (snow height) of 8,848.86 m (29,032 ft) was most recently established in 2020 by the Nepalese and Chinese authorities.

In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society, as recommended by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India, who chose the name of his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest, despite Everest’s objections.

Mount Everest attracts many climbers, some of them highly experienced mountaineers. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal (known as the “standard route”) and the other from the north in Tibet.

In the backdrop of a long-running conflict over Mount Everest’s height, Nepal and China have jointly announced the revised height of the world’s highest peak as 8,848.86 metres €” 86 cm higher than what was recognised since 1954.

The announcement was made via a joint video conference by Nepalese and Chinese officials based in Kathmandu and Beijing respectively.

The Nepal government decided to measure the exact height of the mountain amid debates that there might have been a change in its height due to various reasons, including the devastating earthquake of 2015.

Nepal recalculated the height of Mount Everest at 8,848.86 metres, the country’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali announced.

As per The Indian Express, this common declaration by both countries means that the two have shed their long-standing difference in opinion about the mountain’s height €” 29,017 feet (8,844 m) claimed by China and 29,028 ft (8,848 m) by Nepal. In feet, the new elevation is about 29,031 ft, or about 3 ft higher than Nepal’s previous claim.

According to the measurement done in 1954 by Survey of India, the height of Mount Everest is 8,848 metres, which as per The Wire report is the most commonly accepted height.

The exact height of Mount Everest had been contested ever since a group of British surveyors in India declared the height of Peak XV to be 8,778 metres in 1847, according to Business Standard.

Chinese authorities had said previously Mount Everest should be measured to its rock height, while Nepalese authorities argued the snow on top of the summit should be included.

In 2005, China’s measurement of 8,844.43 metres had put the mountain about 3.57 metres lower than Nepal’s (which followed the measurement given by Survey of India).

This is the first time Nepal conducted its own measurement of the summit.

Nepal government officials had told the BBC in 2012 that they were under pressure from China to accept the Chinese height and therefore they had decided to go for a fresh measurement to “set the record straight once and for all”.

The 2015 earthquake triggered a debate among scientists on whether it had affected the height of the mountain.

The government subsequently declared that it would measure the mountain on its own, instead of continuing to follow the Survey of India findings of 1954.

According to The Indian Express, there was also a third estimate. In 1999, a US team put the elevation at 29,035 feet (nearly 8,850 m). This survey was sponsored by the National Geographic Society, US. The Society uses this measurement, while the rest of the world, except China, had accepted 8,848 metres so far.

Tuesday’s announcement came after Kathmandu and Beijing sent an expedition of surveyors to the summit to calculate Everest’s precise height above sea level. Gyawali declared the findings of their surveys on a video call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. “Everest is an eternal symbol of friendship between Nepal and China,” Gyawali said.

Meanwhile, Susheel Dangol, Nepal’s chief survey officer, head of the measurement project, said they were confident that this is the “most accurate height” of Everest, according to The Washington Post. “It was a huge responsibility on our part. It is a moment of great pride for us.”

A team of Chinese surveyors climbed Mt. Everest from the North side, becoming the only climbers to summit the world’s highest peak during the coronavirus pandemic. The team was there to re-measure the height of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest has been host to other winter sports and adventuring besides mountaineering, including snowboarding, skiing, paragliding, and BASE jumping.