SUPPORTING THE MOUNTAIN PEOPLE OF NEPAL Donate
with Peter Hillary, Jamling Tenzing, Stephen Venables, Kenton Cool and Hari Budha Magar
Jointly organised with Mount Everest Foundation.
with Peter Hillary, Jamling Tenzing, Ray Mears, Adriana Brownlee, Leo Houlding and Dr Melanie Windridge
Jointly organised with Mount Everest Foundation.
We are very excited to announce the return of our annual memorial lectures at the Royal Geographical Society. It is even more exciting to be able to return with a celebration for the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest.
The 1953 Everest expedition was extraordinary not only in putting the first two men on the summit, but in its enduring legacy – charities that sprung from the climb are still very much alive and kicking today, and more broadly, in the words of John Hunt, ‘the seeking of ‘Everests’ by others’ both on and off the mountain continues to inspire generations across the world.
As with our previous 10 year anniversaries, we are co-hosted the event with the Mount Everest Foundation and are honoured to be joined by our friends from the world of mountaineering and family members of the original Expedition Team led by Lord Hunt.
Sir Edmund Hillary – or ‘Ed’ as he was universally known – passed away on 11 January 2008, at home in Auckland, aged 88. A huge wave of emotion swept over the people of New Zealand. Led by their Prime Minister, Helen Clark, they mourned their great Kiwi, lying in state in Holy Trinity Cathedral, with his Everest ice axe and Maori ceremonial staff atop the casket.
Here in the UK, people also paid tribute. Sir Edmund was a Knight of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry granted by Her Majesty the Queen. On a knight’s death, his personal banner is ceremonially laid down on the High Altar of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. This was done at an extraordinarily moving ceremony on 2 April 2008, attended by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
The following day The Himalayan Trust UK organised a special tribute at the Royal Geographical Society in London. Sir Ed’s son, Peter Hillary, spoke on ‘Growing up with Ed’. Tenzing Norgay’s son, Jamling Norgay, spoke on behalf of the Sherpa community. And there was a showing of Michael Dillon’s prize-winning film Beyond Everest, about Sir Edmund’s philanthropic work with the Sherpas. The auditorium was packed to the rafters and overflowing.
So moved were the loyal supporters and Trustees of The Himalayan Trust UK, that a decision was made to launch a series of Sir Edmund Hillary Memorial Lectures that would take place annually on the day of his ascent of Everest, 29 May, or as close to this day as possible, at the Royal Geographical Society. Today, this continues to be an opportunity to gather with our friends and supporters, and raise funds for the children and grandchildren of the people who made the whole great Everest adventure possible, the tough, courageous mountain people of Nepal.
Several charitable organisations with a direct link to 1953 have come together to celebrate Everest 70 with a series of events retracing the journey made by Hillary and Tenzing following the successful ascent. Join our journey both on social media and at the various events.
