Kathmandu /  The Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon of Nepal has been honored with the prestigious “AIMS Social Award 2026” by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the global governing body of road running events.

The award was presented during a special ceremony held at the 25th AIMS World Congress currently taking place in Tromsø, Norway, on Friday night. AIMS President Paco Borao presented the award to Nepalgunj Marathon founder T.S. Thakuri.

The “AIMS Social Award” is considered one of the most prestigious recognitions in the global running community and is awarded to only one event organizer among nearly 500 AIMS member races worldwide each year.

Expressing his happiness after receiving the award, founder Thakuri said the achievement represents not only Nepalgunj Marathon but the entire country of Nepal. “This is the only award of AIMS. It is an unexpected achievement, and I believe it will further enhance the prestige and expansion of marathon events in Nepal,” he said.

Previously, the award has been received by the Great Ethiopian Run (Ethiopia, 2013), Tokyo Marathon (Japan, 2014), Marathon Internacional Lala (Mexico, 2015), Munich Marathon (Germany, 2016), Marathon de los Flores Medellín (Colombia, 2017), Belgrade Marathon (Serbia, 2018), and Harmony Geneva Marathon for UNICEF (Switzerland, 2019). After a brief pause in recent years, the award has been resumed from this year.

According to founder Thakuri, Nepalgunj Marathon was selected based on its continuity, innovative running events, global awareness campaigns on climate change, and its contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic, including organizing Olympic qualification events for the Tokyo Olympics while supporting government protocols. The continuous publication of the Nepal Running Magazine was also a key factor in the selection.

Established in 2015, the Nepalgunj Marathon has been held continuously since its inception. It was launched in remembrance of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed on 5 Mangsir 2063 BS (2006 AD), marking the end of the 11-year armed conflict in Nepal. The marathon was initiated as a powerful platform to promote peace, harmony, and unity in Nepalgunj, a diverse city of multiple ethnicities, religions, and communities.

Currently, the Nepalgunj Marathon operates around a dozen sister events, including the Gaughat Green Run and Rapti Sonari Nature Run (focused on climate awareness among school children), the Nepalgunj 10K Night Run (held twice so far), Kathmandu 25KM Heritage Race (promoting Nepal’s heritage internationally), Karnali Half Marathon, and the Nepalgunj Discourse series, which has completed six editions.

The event also hosted the AIMS Board Meeting and Nepal International Running Conference last year, which was attended by representatives from 18 countries. Starting this year, new events under the One Global Mile initiative—such as Kohalpur Mile and Kathmandu Mile—are also being introduced, along with the continued publication of Nepal Running Magazine.