ABU DHABI, 15th July, 2026 (WAM) — Emirati mountaineer Fatima Al Awadhi, 18, is preparing to take on a new challenge by climbing Lenin Peak in the Pamir mountain range on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan later this month as part of her mission to complete the Seven Summits challenge.
The climb is part of her quest to achieve the Explorer’s Grand Slam, which combines climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents with reaching both the North and South Poles.
The latest expedition follows a series of milestones that saw Fatima become the youngest Arab to summit Vinson Massif and Carstensz Pyramid, and the youngest Emirati to climb Mount Elbrus.
She has also successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Vinson Massif and Carstensz Pyramid, completing four of the Seven Summits.
Fatima’s attempt to scale the 7,134-metre Lenin Peak is being undertaken under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reflecting the UAE leadership’s support for young people and their pursuit of outstanding achievements across various fields.
Fatima discovered her passion for mountaineering through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme while in secondary school, before setting herself the goal of completing the Seven Summits challenge before the age of 20. She has pursued that ambition through determination, discipline and continuous training while studying Economics at university.
Fatima said the support of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been a major source of motivation to continue her journey and achieve further accomplishments. She said her goal is to raise the UAE flag on the world’s highest peaks and inspire young people to embrace challenges and turn their ambitions into achievements.
She added that she aims to complete the Seven Summits challenge and achieve another sporting milestone by climbing Mount Everest and Lhotse within 24 hours, further strengthening the UAE’s presence in the global record of mountaineering achievements.
Source: Emirates News Agency