Sam Sidiqi becomes the first Afghan mountaineer to summit Everest!
Sam at the summit of Everest with the Afghan Peaks flag (Image credit: @afghanpeaks instagram account).
After unofficially becoming the first Afghan to summit the highest mountain in the US, Mount Denali (subject to official confirmation) in 2021, Sam Sidiqi has etched his name in history as the first Afghan to successfully reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world!
After interviewing him on Episode 11 of the Tales of Adventure podcast, his remarkable determination and achievement serves as an inspiring message to the youth of Afghanistan, encouraging them to believe in their own capabilities and strive for greatness.
Motivated by his passion to foster mountain sports in Afghanistan, Sam embarked on his Everest expedition with the aim of raising awareness and generating funds for the development of skiing and mountaineering particularly in the remote highland regions. Through his charitable trust, Afghan Peaks, Sidiqi seeks to unlock the immense potential of Afghanistan's breath-taking mountains.
Reflecting on his monumental summit, Sidiqi expressed his desire to empower Afghan boys and girls, instilling in them the belief that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. Despite the challenges that Afghanistan has faced over the past decades, Sam believes the country possesses boundless potential for growth. Through hard work and unwavering determination, he aims to pave the way for a prosperous future.
In a recent web article, Sam highlighted, "My ascent of Everest serves as a clarion call to the world, drawing attention to Afghan Peak's mission of developing Afghanistan's breath-taking mountains," (1)
He emphasised the incredible promise that these mountainous regions hold for mountain sports and tourism. Afghan Peaks envisions a future where numerous ski teams flourish with the support of passionate individuals and organisations.
The Afghan Peaks Charitable Trust, founded by Sam, is dedicated to developing Afghanistan's mountains in terms of sports, safety, and nature conservation. Over the past three years, Afghan Peaks has sponsored an extraordinary ski race in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, a region I was lucky enough to visit to see for myself and run a marathon around. This year's event witnessed the local procurement of skis within the Bamiyan economy and their distribution to Afghan youth, providing them with the tools to access the mountains.
To contribute to Afghan Peaks' noble cause, visit their website and join the mission of promoting skiing, climbing, and mountain sports in Afghanistan. Samuel Sidiqi's historic achievement on Mount Everest not only showcases his personal determination and resilience but also highlights the limitless potential of Afghans to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
References and links:
1. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2023/05/prweb19347643.htm
2. https://www.afghanpeaks.org