Sir Edmund Hillary Visitor Centre handed over

On 7 November, something quietly important happened at Khumjung School.

The Sir Edmund Hillary Visitor Centre, built on the school grounds, was formally handed over to the School Management Committee. It marked the moment the centre passed fully into local stewardship, where it belongs.

Peter Hillary, Chair of Himalayan Trust New Zealand, and Pasang Dawa Sherpa, Chair of Himalayan Trust Nepal, jointly presented the handover to the SMC chair during a small ceremony at the school.

The Chief Guest was Mingma Chhiri Sherpa, Chairperson of the Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality. Around him were teachers, students, community leaders, and a handful of Himalayan Trust supporters from New Zealand who were in the region at the time.

The handover took place during Peter’s monitoring visit to Solukhumbu (28 October–12 November), a chance to see projects up close, spend time with local partners, and be present for moments like this one.

For those who know the Trust well, this kind of occasion matters. It’s not a ribbon-cutting. It’s a transfer of responsibility. A project stepping out of the Trust’s hands and into the care of the school and community who will use it every day.

The photos here capture a simple scene. A school courtyard. Students watching. A few speeches. And a centre that now belongs, formally and practically, to Khumjung.