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27.9%ANMag Issue 27 Global Awareness
Project Elbrus
Stakes Raised To Help Orphans
Beirut, Lebanon – August 02, 2008 – To raise much needed money to help rehabilitate orphanages in Lebanon, Mt Elbrus – the highest peak in Russia and Continental Europe will be climbed on 2 August 2008.
Kheiry Sammakieh and Nicholas Akle are two of the climbers that will join the expedition to climb one of the highly respected ‘7 summits’ of the world.
Last year, Kheiry spearheaded a climbing project to raise money to rehabilitate 30 schools in Lebanon in partnership with UNICEF, his team raised just over $300,000 from corporate companies and individuals all over the world.
So far, just over $160,000 has been raised for this new expedition – solely secured from Barclays Capital (the Barclays Group’s investment banking division) for a UK registered charity to rehabilitate three orphanages in Lebanon, one in the North of the country, one in the South and one in Beirut.
This work will go far toward improving the lives of the orphans by renovating severely outdated living quarters and classrooms.
“It’s important to show support for the less fortunate children in Lebanon so that they are not left behind at a time when people seem more concerned with the political situation there. It’s also important for us to show support for all the communities of Lebanon, regardless of confessional and political divisions, to say that we are and will remain ‘One Lebanon’.” says Nicholas Akle.
Kheiry and Nicholas will climb 5642m of snow and rock and aim to ascend the higher of Elbrus' twin-peaks, the West peak. Once at the top the pair will conduct a symbolic financial trade on the Lebanese Stock Exchange to illustrate their belief in the economy of this long enduring country. The trade will also set a new record as the highest transaction of its kind in Europe.
Keep up to date on the progress of the expedition via the website: www.climbforlebanon.com which will also include an online blog straight from the mountain as they ascend.
Kheiry began trekking and climbing mountains in January 2007. In this short time he has chalked up a track record of successful summits among the UK’s highest and toughest peaks, as well as Mt Kilimanjaro – the highest peak on the African continent and one of the famous seven summits of the world.
Following the successful Kili climb, Kheiry & Nicholas embarked on an intensive training schedule in readiness for this next challenge, Mt Elbrus in Russia. Kheiry says, “I am slowly warming to the idea of the seven summits challenge- Lets see how the next few go!”
In February 2008, the 2 climbers undertook an intensive training course with the famous Jagged Globe outfitters in the Scottish Highlands in preparation for Elbrus. Here they were able to consolidate many of the essential technical skills they will need on their next challenge: Navigation skills, appraisal of avalanche risk, ice axe arrest, use of crampons and ice axe on different types of winter terrain, basic rope work and direct belays, the construction of snow anchors and belays and emergency snow shelters.
They will continue to train in preparation for the climb and have support and advice from world famous and highly respected mountaineers who are mentoring him. They also have the backing of Peak Explorer, a soon to be launched mountaineering online community, who are funding their equipment and expedition costs.