One is 8,848 metres above sea level, the other is 422 metres below it, but both attract scores of visitors from across the globe. And now two of the world’s most famous geographical wonders - one in Israel and the other in Nepal - are to be celebrated together.
The two countries have collaborated on a stamp celebrating their natural wonders; in Israel, the Dead Sea, and in Nepal, Mount Everest.
The stamp features pictures of both and includes writing in four languages; Hebrew, Arabic, English and Nepalese.
According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the joint stamp marks “Fifty-two years of diplomacy” and is a way of expressing the fruitful cooperation between the two countries in many fields. Nepal was one the earliest of Asian countries to build diplomatic ties with Israel. A ceremony was held in Israel to mark the issuing of the stamp, in the presence of Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and the Nepalese envoy to Israel, Prahlad Kumar Prasai.
Although the two countries are miles apart, Nepal and the Himalayas feature heavily on the tourist trail for Israelis backpacking after completing their army service, with the Chabad House in Kathmandu known for hosting a seder for 2,000 guests.
