Emirati summits highest peak in Europe
ABU DHABI: Abdullah Al Muhairbi, an Emirati engineer, has created history ater he scaled the 5,642-metre Mount Elbrus in Russia, and 6,962-metre Mount Aconcagua in Argentina in South America.
These achievements are part of his mission to conquer the Seven Summits - the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.
In 2015, he climbed the highest peak in Africa, on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which is 5,895 metres high.
Al Muhairbi expressed gratitude to Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) for its support over his mission to conquer the Seven Summits.
He said that he especially owed his success to his organisation in scaling the highest peak in Europe, on Mt Elbrus.
He also expressed his pride and joy for being able to fly the UAE’S national flag atop these mountains.
“My success is the success of all Emiratis who have determination, strength and courage to defy all odds to achieve their loty dreams and ambitions,” he said.
Talking about his challenge, Al Muhairbi added that the most difficult aspect of climbing is to retain the mental strength and composure throughout the expedition.
He said that climbing benefits one in many ways, not least by creating a burning desire in one to succeed, and strengthening resilience, determination and the ability to bear hardships. “Conquering mountains is a test of all kinds of strengths in the climber. It’s also an opportunity to appreciate some secret beauties of nature,” he said.
Al Muhairbi added that his achievement embodies the Emirati spirit to excel in every field and follow the dream.
In May, as part of the Dubai Police communitybased initiative “Positive Spirit,” 20 volunteers from the Dubai Police, in co-operation with Navy DXB fitness club, climbed the summit of Everest, the earth’s highest mountain. Brigadier Khaled Shuhail, Director of the General Department of Community Happiness in Dubai Police, Chairman of the Positive Spirit Initiative Commitee, praised the climbers’ efforts who contributed to achieving the initiative’s goal.
He stressed that the objectives of the initiative include instilling the sports culture and utilising sports as an effective social tool to educate the youth on the values, good morals and authentic traditions of the society.