URI Multiregion

Israeli David “Dudu” Yifrah – made a heroic and bold statement of peace when on the summit of Everest he unfolded a joint (sewn together) Israeli and Palestinian flag. On the summit Dudu radioed me and Palestninian Ali Bushnaq (we were both by the radio at advanced base camp) to tell us that he was going to unfold this special flag, dedicating it to his good friend Ali in the name of peace. It was a very moving moment and something that will leave in our hearts for the rest of our lives. But that was what the project was about - people coming together and doing amazing things.

 


Israeli Dudu Yifrah holding a joint (sewn togeher) Palestinian/Israeli flag

Here is an overiview of the EPP's history-making climb! (Taken from their Expedition website on May 24th).

Hi Everyone,

I can’t tell you how proud I am and how I have appreciated all the encouraging and positive emails and messages that we have received over the last several weeks. Thank you!

The Everest Peace Project was just a thought in one person’s mind almost four years ago and now it has become a global project that has affected, inspired, and touched people across the world. Millions of people have now heard about our mission of peace and cultural understanding. The EPP website has been viewed by people from two hundred different countries; there have been hundreds of news stories across the world – including feature stories in Israel and in UAE, which reached over five million people.

In my mind, success was just in getting everyone together at base camp – having just one person reach the summit would have been icing on the cake. However, The Everest Peace Project summitted ten people and we all have made it back to Kathmandu safely. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we would summit so many. In a season that has seen a lot of tragedy we are very fortunate and blessed.

We made world history by assembling the most diverse Everest team ever – and had a summit push that consisted of Palestinian and Israeli men. Israeli David “Dudu” Yifrah – made a heroic and bold statement of peace when on the summit of Everest he unfolded a joint (sewn together) Israeli and Palestinian flag (see the picture on the site).

And it is not over…we have professionally filmed our Everest Climb for Peace and we will be making a full-length documentary film with the intention of having this shown all across the world. Stay tuned…!

I would like to thank our heroic climbers and Sherpas who all risked their lives to prove an important point: that people from various faiths and cultures can work together cooperatively and accomplish amazing things and that in an atmosphere of peace and through friendship and teamwork anything can be done – and that even the tallest mountain in the world can be climbed.

EPP Climbers - Namgyal Sherpa and Tonya Riggs on the Summit of Mt. Everest!