Tuesday 18 / March / 2025
Muscat: Lok Banbhu Karki is on a mission to spread his message of peace among all the countries in the world. So far, he has visited 135 countries, and Oman is his 136th.
“I began by undertaking this journey across my native Nepal in 2002 because there was so much conflict going on in our homeland at the time and I wanted to spread the word of peace and brotherhood,” he told the Times of Oman.
“I used to cycle to schools and marketplaces and meet people and tell them how important it is for us to stay united because at the end of the day, all we have is each other.
“On December 7, 2004, I realised that I should take my message worldwide, and left home with the idea of visiting every country in the world to spread my message of peace,” added Karki. “There are so many conflicts taking place in the world right now, so I thought I should travel the world and promote the spirit of brotherhood.”
Armed with a letter from the Nepalese foreign ministry and another from the United Nations mission in Nepal, Karki soon found that these letters opened doors for him that would have otherwise remained shut.
“When I produce these letters at any country’s embassy or any UN mission, they provide me with a visa to enter their country and a place to stay,” he told the Times of Oman.
“Sometimes, that is not possible but the kindness of people means I always have a roof over my head.”
Despite being on the road for more than 10 years, Karki says he does not miss home. He lost his mother when he was in his early teens and his father remarried soon afterwards.
At the age of 14, Karki moved out of his family home and rented a flat with a local farmer. He would go to school and learn his letters, but to earn his keep, he’d help the farmer milk the cows and harvest crops.
He worked hard, completed his studies, and earned himself a double Bachelor’s degree, going on to teach mathematics and sociology in school, before grabbing his bicycle and setting off on the road.
“I’ve visited nearly all of Africa and most of North and South America, and a lot of Western Europe as well,” he said. “Now that I am here in the Middle East, I want to visit all the nations here, and that includes Yemen as well.”
“Oman is a lovely place to visit, and it is great to see this country actively promoting peace,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be quite so green though, because you hear so many things about the Middle East.”
Although Karki has accumulated plenty of fond memories during his time on the road, there are two he cherishes more than any other. “When I was in South Africa, I happened to meet Nelson Mandela, and that was a great moment for me,” he recalled. “A while after that, I visited Accra in Ghana and was introduced to the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, there.
“These are memories that will remain with me for a long, long time,” said Karki. “After my tour is over, I want to go back home and begin a hostel for boys and girls who have been orphaned by the conflict in Nepal.
“It’ll be a bit difficult to get the funds, but I am sure it will happen.”
