I wanted to write about the French climber Alain Robert, aka Spiderman. As a part of the Education Without Borders conference, he climbed the world´s tallest building Burj Khalifa for the Guinness World Record! He climbed during the opening ceremony of EWB, so that we could follow his way towards the top from our seats. When nighttime came, we could barely glimpse the tiny figure as he started closing in on the top, 828 meter above the ground. He completed the climb in windy conditions using only six hours, when the limit was set to nine.
His climb towards the top was a great inspiration. Not just the fact that he decided to go for it in the first place. It´s a typical example of setting goals everyone else find amusing because it´s got to be impossible, right? Not to mention dangerous! I admire the way he shrugs off skepticism, plans well, trusts his capabilities and reaches the target. Up left is a photo from the President´s Palace in Abu Dhabi. I was lucky enough to meet Spiderman in person during the gala dinner!
In my eyes, the climbing works as a symbol of what human beings are capable of doing. It shows that through ambitious goals, hard work, experience and never giving up, you can follow your dreams and make it happen. The principles from so many of the great presenters during the conference also went through these stages on their way towards humanitarian projects, establishing companies based on sustainability and renewable energy technologies or spreading solar energy- based lamps across Africa.
I´m aware of the stages you have to go through, the work you have to put into it and the
passion that needs to lie behind the project. The effort might seem too much to handle sometimes, but the rewards you get in the end are so much worth it! I got an impression of what Spiderman saw at midnight after completing his climb from the viewing point of the Burj Khalifa. But imagine the feeling of sitting at the 828th meter, at the very top of the world after having climbed all the way? Or the knowledge that your work has led to a better life for humans around you. That sustainability is within reach because of projects you lead, or new inventions you come up with.
I know for a fact that outstanding people all over the globe are working on global challenges every second as I write. That is maybe the greatest inspiration of all; the knowledge that we can solve problems together. We all have different qualities, so my vision is that everyone can use their strengths for positive change.
