[Nfbnet-members-list] Blind People Condemn Nepal's Ban on Blind Everest Climbers

Wed Jan 3 01:24:42 UTC 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blind People Condemn Nepal’s Ban on Blind Everest Climbers

National Federation of the Blind and World Blind 
Union Call for Rescission of New Ban on Blind Mountaineers

Baltimore, Maryland (January 2, 2018): The 
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the 
World Blind Union (WBU), which represent the 
United States and global blind communities 
respectively, today stated their opposition to a 
new ban on blind climbers participating in 
expeditions on Mount Everest, recently announced by the government of Nepal.

“The National Federation of the Blind is 
surprised and disappointed that Nepalese 
authorities have banned blind people from 
participating in expeditions on Mount Everest,” 
said Mark Riccobono, President of the National 
Federation of the Blind. “While we recognize that 
this climb should not be undertaken by the 
unprepared or inexperienced, the ban on blind 
climbers is arbitrary. The first blind person to 
attempt this climb, Erik Weihenmayer, summited on 
May 25, 2001 in an expedition that we were proud 
to sponsor. This proves that blindness, by 
itself, does not prevent a climber from safely summiting Mount Everest.”

“Blind people regularly engage in all manner of 
activities, both ordinary and extraordinary,” Mr. 
Riccobono continued. “Despite the wide-ranging 
evidence of our capacity, however, society 
continues to arbitrarily restrict what we may do, 
and low expectations continue to create 
artificial barriers that prevent us from fully 
participating in our communities. There is no 
more evidence that we should not climb Mount 
Everest than that we should not walk the streets 
with our white canes, ride amusement park 
attractions, or raise children, all of which are 
things that some have tried to prevent us from 
doing, but which many of us have done successfully.”

“Most blind people will never climb Mount 
Everest, but neither will most of the sighted. 
The issue is not whether a climber is blind but 
whether he or she has the adventurous spirit, 
physical endurance, and requisite skill. As in 
all other endeavors, we demand to be judged by 
whether we have qualities relevant to the task at 
hand, not on the single characteristic of 
blindness. Nepalese authorities should 
immediately rescind the ban on blind climbers and 
should reconsider banning any other climbers with 
disabilities,” Mr. Riccobono concluded.

Dr. Fredric Schroeder, President of the World 
Blind Union, said: “Climbing Mount Everest is 
challenging and dangerous, and it is not 
surprising people would assume it is too 
challenging and dangerous for a blind person to 
attempt. But Erik Weihenmayer, a blind man, did 
just that and did it successfully. Excluding 
blind and partially sighted people from equal 
access based on assumptions reinforces and helps 
perpetuate economic and social isolation. Few 
blind people will attempt to climb Mount 
Everestas few sighted people will attempt to 
climb Mount Everestbut Nepalese tourist 
authorities should recognize that they have 
neither the knowledge nor wisdom to justify the 
exclusion of blind people from attempting to 
achieve the seemingly unachievable, especially since it has already been done.”

###

About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), 
headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and 
largest nationwide organization of blind 
Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of 
affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty 
states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB 
defends the rights of blind people of all ages 
and provides information and support to families 
with blind children, older Americans who are 
losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes 
and dreams of blind people and work together to 
transform them into reality. Learn more about our 
many programs and initiatives at 
<https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=9862&qid=2092417>www.nfb.org.

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org

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