Mashreq, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, has announced the launch of a mountain clean-up mission in Pakistan as part of its global Climb2Change initiative. This mission will focus on cleaning up two prominent mountain peaks, K2 and Broad Peak (K3), along with the base camps at Goro2 and Concordia.
Mashreq’s Climb2Change initiative aims to clean up a total of 14 of the world’s highest mountains. The plan involves reaching the summits of 7 peaks and the base camps of the remaining 7. The expedition in Pakistan, scheduled from June to August 2024, will feature renowned Portuguese climber Maria Conceicao and Pakistani climber Naila Kiani.
Ahmed Abdelaal, Mashreq CEO, expressed pride in advancing the global Climb2Change initiative with the expansion to Pakistan, which hosts some of the world’s highest peaks. He emphasized the mission’s goal to address waste accumulation and ecological imbalance, inspiring positive change by cleaning these iconic peaks in the Karakoram range. This effort is a collaborative endeavor involving renowned climbers, local communities, and Mashreq employees.
Abdelaal highlighted that previous clean-up efforts in Nepal, where they conquered five of the highest peaks and a base camp, demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit and left these natural wonders cleaner than before. He noted that the mission aims to inspire individuals, communities, and organizations worldwide to join and start their own Climb2Change initiatives.
Naila Kiani, the first Pakistani woman to summit eleven 8000-meter peaks and to represent the MENA region, shared her excitement about the mission. She aims to use her diverse background in aerospace engineering, banking, and competitive boxing to overcome the challenges of mountaineering and advocacy. Kiani hopes to inspire others, especially women and youth, to pursue their dreams and contribute positively to the planet.
Maria Conceicao, who has achieved numerous accolades including being the first Portuguese woman to summit Mount Everest and holding 10 Guinness World Records in sports, expressed her enthusiasm for joining Mashreq’s Climb2Change initiative. She believes that this mountain clean-up mission aligns perfectly with her life’s work in preserving iconic mountains and natural heritage, as well as her philanthropic efforts in developing education initiatives for underprivileged children.
