Mountain cleanup begins for Dubai’s Mt Mashreq, Pakistan’s iconic K2 and Broad Peak
ISLAMABAD: MashreqBank, a leading financial institution in the MENA region, has announced that it will launch mountain clean-up operations in Pakistan as part of its global Climb2Change initiative. The operation will include cleaning up two prominent peaks, K2 and Broad Peak (K3), as well as the base camps of Goro 2 and Concordia, the bank said in a statement on Tuesday.
Through its Climb2Change initiative, Mashreq aims to scale 14 of the world’s most majestic mountains, reaching the summits of seven and base camp of the remaining seven. The expedition in Pakistan from June to August 2024 will include renowned Portuguese mountaineer Maria Conceição and Naila Kiani, the first Pakistani woman and overall the third Pakistani to summit 11 of the world’s 14 highest 8,000-meter mountains.
“We are proud to expand our mountain clean-up expedition to Pakistan, home to some of the world’s highest mountains, and advance our global initiative, Climb2Change,” Mashreq Group CEO Ahmed Abdelaal said in a statement.
“Tackling the challenges of waste accumulation and ecological imbalance, our mission is to inspire positive change through summiting and cleaning up the iconic peaks of the Karakoram range. This initiative is a collaboration between renowned climbers, local communities and our own employees.”
“Conquering five of Nepal’s highest peaks and base camp has highlighted the resilience of the human spirit and left these natural wonders cleaner than ever. But our mission goes beyond just cleanups – we hope to inspire individuals, communities and organisations around the world to join us and start their own Climb2Change.”
Kiani said she was “very proud” to join forces with Mashreq to advocate for environmental protection in her home country.
“Mountaineering has always been a personal journey to push the limits, and now, together with Mashreq, I aim to make a big difference for a brighter and more sustainable future,” said Kiana.
“My diverse background, from aerospace engineering to banking to competitive boxing, has prepared me for the challenges of mountaineering and aid work. As the first Pakistani woman to summit 11 8,000m mountains and represent the MENA region, I hope to go beyond climbing and inspire others, especially women and youth, to pursue their dreams and contribute positively to the planet.”
Commenting on the initiative, Maria Conceição said she was pleased to be part of Mt. Mashreq’s global initiative, Climb2Change, and contribute to the conservation of some of the world’s most iconic mountains and natural heritage sites in Pakistan.
“My journey from being an orphan to being the first Portuguese woman to summit Everest, to holding 10 Guinness World Records in sports, to being a philanthropist developing life-changing education initiatives for underprivileged children, is perfectly aligned with this mission and my life’s work,” Conceição said, “and we sincerely hope to raise awareness and inspire others to take action to protect the planet for future generations.”
The clean-up expedition in Pakistan builds on the success of the first two phases in Nepal, which involved summiting and cleaning five of Nepal’s highest peaks and one base camp. The expedition also included removing waste at high altitudes and promoting environmental protection through public education.
