Cycle Culture Community (CCC) organized a “Cycle Culture in Paintings” workshop on the occasion of World Tourism Day-2023. The main aim of the program was to support “national bicycle act & activism” in Nepal. Also supporting the sustainable development goals and ‘green investment’ mission of the United Nations, CCC formally initiated a long-term artistic cycle culture movement on “green bonds” theme. 

A bicycle rally led by women cyclists from Patan Darbar Square via Basantapur, Thamel, KingsWay to Nepal Tourism Board participated in the workshop inauguration on 30 September 2023. Senior visual artists, including former Chancellors of the Academy of Fine Arts, Kiran Manandhar, Ragini Upadhya and K.K. Karmacharya along with three dozens artists were welcomed by the mass cyclists after rally led by women cyclists in Nepal Tourism Board.

The renowned cyclists, who introduced Nepal in the international arena via cycle sports, Ajay Pandit Chhetri, Usha Khanal and Suraj Rana were honored by the former Chancellors Kiran Mandandhar, Ragini Upadhyaya and K.K. Karmacharya. Likewise, women cyclists Laxmi Shrestha and Urmila Shakya- who contributed to hundreds of women cyclists in Kathmandu and Lalitpur voluntarily coaching women to cycling every morning for years- were also honored. 

Artists, cyclists and participants, succeeding the keynote speech of writer Prof. Abhi Subedi, inaugurated the workshop collectively with brush stroking on the canvas. First time in history came intellectuals, artists and cyclists together and raised voice aesthetically for promoting cycling culture in Nepal for green bonds, said Prof. Subedi. 

Artists from outside the Kathmandu Valley also participated in the workshop. One of them, Tseten Sherpa from Jhapa Kakadbhitta said that the program was his dream being a cyclist and artist. He was practicing art activism to save old trees by cycling and painting collectively for a decade. He said with deep respect to the workshop, “I am feeling lucky that my persisting dream of bridging art, cycling and nature has come true.” 

K.K. Karmacharya recalled how Kathmandu was five decades ago. Cycling culture was dominant then in Kathmandu Valley. Kiran Manandhar talked about his bicycle, which was the one reached the base camp of Mt. Everest. Ragini Upadhyaya celebrated the program with full enthusiasm amidst cyclists. She was in complete green get-up- sari to nail police all green. All the guests promised to support cycling culture with their art works in the future too.

Prof. Subedi in his keynote speech pointed out the renowned writers and artists rushing literary and artistic programs on their bicycles. He recalled men and women using bicycles for livelihood in Kathmandu Valley 50-60 years ago.

More interestingly CCC organized the workshop with collective support from the bottom. Common people supported the program by their pocket money. There were no sponsors to the workshop. Nepal Tourism Board supported the venue. Rest of the expenses was managed by collective support from the bottom. 
The organizer has targeted to create 50 to 70 paintings based on cycle culture and environmental justice theme. The senior artists have taken canvas at home and working leisurely for better creation. The paintings after the publication of catalogue will be exposed in the Art Council as a weeklong exhibition, said the workshop coordinator Dr. Tara Lal Shrestha. He further said that the painting is also exhibited in open heritage sites with mass gathering and interaction. The program will be expanded up to seven provinces, he said. 

The program was believed to play a role to bridge the cycle community with art activism and academics for peace, people and planet with long-term creative events to support bicycle act & activism in Nepal, said coordinator Dr. Shrestha, as a cycle culture movement.