Life
Today, the UAE marks the eighth annual Emirati Women’s Day.
As an occasion to empower Emirati women, the day was launched by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, the wife of the late Sheikh Zayed and Mother of the Nation, in 2015.
The theme for this year’s Emirati Women’s Day is “We collaborate for Tomorrow”, aligning with the values of the country and with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed AL Nahyan’s declaration of 2023 as the ‘Year of Sustainability.’
To delve further, we spoke to inspiring women. The second in the series is Nayla Al Baloushi, the first Emirati Woman to summit Mt. Everest and her friend Shaima Ahmed, who is a content creator by profession.
She accomplished the triumphant ascent to the summit of the towering 8,849-meter peak on May 14, 2022. Undeterred by the harsh elements and temperatures plummeting to a bone-chilling degrees, this determined adventurer pressed on.
This Emirati mountaineer’s journey so far is a testament to the spirit and resilience of women in this country. Speaking of her trajectory so far, Nayla duly credits the support she received from the UAE when she decided to take on this ambitious challenge.
“When I summitted the Mount Everest, I receieved tremendous support from the UAE. I felt this was not just my acheievement, as everyone celebrated my win as their own.”
As a true advocate for women’s empowerment, Nayla hopes to inspire women from this region and around the world to follow their passions in life.