Mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen has been selected as one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year 2014/2015 for her activism and commitment to empower women through her work in the field of adventure.
The information was disclosed on National Geographic’s website yesterday.
A total of 14 adventurers has been selected in 10 categories this year. With Wasfia’s name on the top of the list, the 13 other adventurers are: Alpinist Ueli Steck, adaptive adventurers Erik Weihenmayer and Lonnie Bedwell, climber Tommy Caldwell, filmmakers Matt Stoecker, Ben Knight and Travis Rummel, kayaker Aleksander Doba, paragliders Will Gadd and Gavin McClurg, ski mountaineer Kit DesLauriers, surfer Liz Clark, and swimmer Lewis Pugh.
National Geographic is also hosting People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year where one can vote every day for their favourite adventurer. One can vote every day until January 31 next year, and the winner will be announced in February. Votes can be cast at: http://on.natgeo.com/1E8oMz3.
In addition, this year marks the 10th anniversary of National Geographic’s mission to find adventurers of the year from across the globe, selected for their extraordinary achievement in exploration, conservation, humanitarianism, and adventure sports.
The Dhaka Tribune tried to contact Wasfia and her father yesterday, but could not reach either of them as their phones were switched off.
However, Wasfia posted a status on her Facebook page in reaction to the announcement. “Such a great feeling to land back in Motherland with the news of being listed for the 10th Anniversary special National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Award!! [sic] Mindblowingly humbling to be amongst such an amazing group of individuals around the planet. At the same time, super proud to represent Bangladesh for the first time where she always belonged!” she wrote.
Wasfia is the first Bangladeshi to attempt to climb the Seven Summits. In 2011, in celebration of 40 years of independence of Bangladesh as well as to promote women empowerment, she took up the challenge of climbing the highest mountain in each of the seven continents. Until now, she has successfully conquered six of them.