Joyce Azzam, Lebanon
Mountaineer
Azzam has made it her mission to take female mountaineering to new heights. In December, a successful ascent of Antarctica’s Mount Vinson made her the first Lebanese woman to scale six of the seven world summits. In April, her sights are set on completing that set by reaching the summit of the Himalayas’ fabled Mount Everest. Then, there is the small matter of accomplishing the ‘Explorers Grand Slam’ – the aforementioned seven summits, plus reaching the North and South Poles. This would represent the completion of a remarkable journey from the conservation architect and urban designer that began in war-torn Beirut more than 30 years ago. Azzam is determined to empower people with her message and achievements. Her #YesYouCan movement and humanitarian work with Lebanese NGO Himaya point to wider goals that make her a worthy member of this list.
– The architect has two Master’s degrees and a PhD to her name.
– Azzam almost gave up her passion for climbing back in 2013 because of familial pressure, but decided to stick at it.
– Her highest climb came at Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, which reaches an altitude of 6,920 metres.
Did you know…
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri supported her expedition to Mount Vinson as part of his empowerment agenda for youth and women.
“A girl from my community isn’t allowed to have big dreams, and I chose a dream that should not be mine.” – Joyce Azzam (Source: Vogue Arabia)
Twitter: @JoyceAzzam
Instagram: joyce_azzam
