DOHA - With the

aim of spreading awareness about the issues of people forced to flee due to conflict and persecution of refugees and displaced persons, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the launch of its partnership with Qatari adventure and sportswoman Sheikha Asma Al Thani.

Record holder Sheikha Asma Al-Thani is known for her advocacy of women's empowerment issues in the Arab world and the region.

The announcement of this partnership coincides with the latest achievements of Asmaa Al Thani;

As she was able to climb Mount Vinson and reach the highest peak in Antarctica, she also succeeded in completing the ski track leading to the last step to reach the South Pole, which is 111 km long, to be the first Qatari woman to achieve this feat.

On this occasion, Sheikha Asma Al Thani expressed her hope that the new year will be an opportunity to shed light on the suffering of more than 84 million people who were forced to flee their homes in search of safety and hope.

And she added - in her comment on the partnership with the international organization - that when she felt the bitter cold in "Antarctica", she could not help but think of the thousands of refugees who had to walk on dangerous roads to reach their children to safety, expressing her confidence that she would continue to support her with everything It is in its power to bring their voices to various platforms.

Sheikha Asma expresses her confidence in conveying the voice of refugees (Qatari Press)

Inspiration

As for the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to the State of Qatar, Ayat Al Douiri;

She emphasized that Sheikha Asmaa is an inspiration to many, especially women, thanks to her passion, courage, commitment and high sense of solidarity.

She pointed out that Sheikha Asmaa's adventures not only represent a source of inspiration for many to reach their ambitions, but also a platform to raise awareness and mobilize support for the rights of the most vulnerable refugees and internally displaced people around the world, expressing her pride in being a supporter of the refugee cause and an advocate for the forcibly displaced.

Sheikha Asmaa Al-Thani seeks to complete a two-year expedition to become the first woman from the Middle East to complete the Grand Tournament of Explorers, which includes climbing 7 peaks and reaching the North and South Poles.

Partnership between UNHCR and mountaineer Sheikha Asma Al Thani to advocate for refugees and displaced people in the region and the world – https://t.co/MkN3npzEoy

— UNHCR in the Gulf States (@UNHCR_GCC) January 17, 2022

Seven Summits

Sheikha Asmaa Al Thani aspires to be a source of inspiration and pride for women and youth in the Middle East, and to become the first woman from the Middle East to complete the “Seven Summits Challenge for Adventurers,” a project that includes climbing the largest summit on every continent in the world.

Sheikha Asmaa says, "Since my childhood, I had a dream about climbing heights, a dream stemming from my love for sports, and my belief in it as an inspiration to others, and thanks to my extensive work in the field of sports, I noticed the impact of sports and athletes on peoples' lives. When an athlete falls, we see him rise again And when he loses, he does not give up, but his resolve strengthens, so the athletes are all of us role models to be better, and we try in turn to be an example to others.”

She believes that when she climbs the heights, she is armed with a strong will to challenge her abilities and raise the ceiling of her ambitions. She hopes to climb the highest heights in the world and to transcend the stereotype of the traditional adventurer, and inspire women and youth in the region to challenge themselves and raise the ceiling of their dreams.

Al-Thani had completed 3 of 9 major challenges for adventurers around the world. In 2018, she became the first Qatari woman to ski over the far North Pole as part of an international team that included a group of women from European and Middle Eastern countries. She also became the first Qatari woman to climb the Aconcagua summit in Argentina, and before that in 2014, was among the first group of Qatari women to climb the top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.