Lebanese reporter and photographer Nidal Solh had a particular aim when climbing the Mount Ararat in the Caucasus Mountains: To hoist both the flag of Lebanon and of the Lebanese army on top of that mighty peak, rising 5165 meters above sea level. And he did, a month after raising them on the Mont Blanc in the French Alps at an altitude of 4810 meters!
Speaking about the stages of his climbing journey, Solh explained that: “The beginning was to go to the base of the first camp at an altitude of 3200 meters, where we stayed there for two days to adapt, then we proceeded to the second camp at an altitude of 4200 meters. And, at about two o’clock after midnight, we set off to the top of Mount Ararat, where we arrived at around 7 in the morning and I raised the flags of Lebanon and the Lebanese army proudly on the summit.”
As for this new achievement, Solh explained that it “comes within the framework of a project that aims to raise the Lebanese army flag on top of the world summits, to convey a clear message to the country that this institution, which has offered many martyrs and wounded [people] in order to protect Lebanon and the Lebanese […] will remain the guarantor of the security and stability of Lebanon and the Lebanese. “
Nidal Solh’s journey in climbing started in July 2017 where he climbed the Kazbek mountain, which is one of the four highest mountains in Europe, attaining his first achievement along with an international team of 19 Adventurers and raising the Lebanese flag at the top of the mountain located at 5,033 meters above sea level.
In April 2018, Solh climbed the Mera Peak in the Himalayas, raising the Lebanese flag at an altitude of 4441 meters. One month ago, Solh also succeeded in raising the Lebanese and army flags on the summit of the White Mountain (Mont Blanc), which is the highest mountain in the French Alps at an altitude of 4810 meters.
