Kathmandu, May 25, 2025 – In a heartwarming video message, Yasmine Gahtani, Vice President of IFSC Asia and Managing Director of the Saudi Climbing and Hiking Federation, extended her best wishes to the young athletes of Nepal participating in the 6th edition of the Lalitpur Climbing Festival and the May 23 KMES Vertical Challenge Cup 2025.

“Hello Climbers of Nepal,” said Gahtani in her video. “Today I want to wish you the best of luck in your upcoming climbing festival. Always remember—you are the future athletes. So keep on climbing.”

Her message was among nine heartfelt messages received from international representatives and partners of the climbing community. Speaking about this, Mr. Rupesh Adhikari, President of the Nepal Climbing Sport Association (Kathmandu Valley Special Committee), said:  

“We are honored to have received nine encouraging messages from international leaders, athletes, and industry partners who have consistently supported Nepal’s climbing community. Among them, the message from Yasmine Gahtani was especially inspiring, as she has been a constant ally of our federation and a source of motivation for our youth athletes.”

Yasmine Gahtani is a well-respected figure in the global sport climbing arena. Alongside her vice-presidential role in IFSC Asia, she is the Managing Director of the Saudi Climbing and Hiking Federation. She holds a postgraduate degree in Sport Management from the French Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. A passionate alpinist and rock climber herself, Gahtani has reached multiple summits in the European Alps—including Mont Blanc—and hiked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.

She has been actively involved in developing sport climbing across the Middle East and Asia for more than eight years and is also the proud mother of a youth national sport climber from Saudi Arabia.

Nepal’s youth climbers and federation officials expressed their gratitude for her unwavering support and encouragement over the years, especially in promoting gender equity, youth development, and international collaboration in sport climbing.

This year’s climbing festival was not only a celebration of the sport but also a continuation of Nepal’s commitment to empowering youth and honoring the mountaineering legacy of figures like Kalpana Maharjan, the first Nepali female journalist to summit Everest from both the south and north sides.

More coverage on messages from other international figures—including Olympians and IFSC board members—will follow in subsequent editions.