Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby Jones. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
‘There is a path to even the highest mountain.'
Voice 1
This is an old saying from Afghanistan. It can simply mean exactly what it says - there is a physical path to even the highest mountain. But it can also have a deeper meaning. There is an answer to even the biggest of life's problems.
Voice 2
Four Afghan people are discovering both meanings of this saying. In July 2009, they set out to climb the highest mountain in Afghanistan - Mount Noshaq. In today's Spotlight we tell about the four climbers. And we hear why climbing this mountain is so important to them.
Voice 1
Afghanistan - the heart of Central Asia. In its north-eastern corner, there are the Hindu Kush Mountains . These mark the beginning of the Himlaya mountain range that stretches across to western China. Mount Noshaq rises almost 7500 metres above a valley. Its name means ‘nine valleys' in the Dari language of Afghanistan. Mount Noshaq is surrounded by great beauty. Its white peaks point high into the blue sky. But still, there are strong winds and freezing temperatures. Standing at the bottom of Mount Noshaq are four Afghan men. The road before them is long and hard. They have been training for months. This climb is important. They will be the first Afghan people to climb to the top of this mountain. Their climb will demonstrate the strength of the Afghan spirit. The people of this troubled country have experienced almost thirty years of war. But their pride in being Afghan is not broken. So let us meet the brave climbers:
Voice 2
A small golden fire burns over grey stones. A family gathers around it. Among them is one of the four climbers - Malang. Malang is thirty five years old. He has four children. He and his family live in Qazi Deh. This village lies in north-eastern Afghanistan. The people here lead a simple, peaceful life. Malang is a happy character. His dark eyes smile as he speaks:
Voice 4
‘My wish is to build a name for my country. It is to honour Afghanistan. It is a good chance to show that we have good climbers. We can go to the top of big mountains like Noshaq.'
Voice 1
Walk a little way into the village and you will reach another house. This belongs to Afiat Khanis - a second climber. Afiat is twenty eight years old. He has five children. When he was younger, he had planned to be a mountain guide. But the war changed this. Instead, he fought in the war to defend his country. Now, he dreams of entering into a new battle. But this time it is a battle for peace. Climbing Mount Noshaq marks an important part of this battle.
Voice 2
Children gather together in a small village school. They sit on a large piece of material on the floor. The girls sit on one side. And the boys sit on the other. They listen carefully to the words of their teacher - Gurg Ali. ‘Who has heard of Mount Noshaq?' He asks them. All the children raise their hands. They are excited. Their teacher is going to climb the highest mountain in Afghanistan. And he tells them that this will help them and their village. Gurg Ali wants the climb to encourage the people of Afghanistan. He wants Afghans to recover their sense of self worth. He wants them to feel proud of Afghanistan once again.
Voice 1
Amruddin is the youngest member of the team. He is twenty five years old. He lives in Khandud, a village half way through the valley. Amruddin is strong and fearless. He has big dreams for the future. Before the climb started he said:
Voice 5
‘I have never climbed a big mountain before now. If I reach the Noshaq, I will become a real mountain climber. After that, I will be able to aim for higher mountains. My dream is to become one of the first climbers in Afghanistan.'
Voice 1
There are three main purposes behind the project. Firstly, it is to send a message of peace. It will show the strength of the Afghan people. It will show that they are able to overcome difficulties. They can bring peace to their country.
Voice 2
Secondly, the climbers will plant an Afghan flag in the top of the mountain. This is a sign of hope. It is to encourage the people of Afghanistan. They have a reason to be proud. They have a reason to gain international respect. They have, and can, overcome difficulties.
Voice 1
The third purpose is to create new businesses. The four climbers hope that their story will bring foreign visitors to the area - to enjoy the beautiful mountains. The climbers plan to become mountain guides. They are leading the way in new possibilities for the economy. They hope to create positive, lasting, changes.
Voice 2
After lots of hard training with French mountain climbers, the team began their climb. On the thirteenth of July, they reached their first stop - base camp. Here, at four and a half thousand [4500] metres, they slept for the night. The trip was long and hard. Strong winds blew and snow fell. But strong desire pushed them forwards. And on Sunday the nineteenth of July, the first Afghan feet walked on the top of Mount Noshaq. At last, the mountain-top flies the flag of their country, Afghanistan. There against the white snow, they saw the colours of their country - red, black and green. It was a special moment. This was the first time Afghan people had ever reached the top of Mount Noshaq. They have shown that the spirit of the Afghan people has not been defeated. For them, the old Afghan saying is true
Voice 3
‘There is a path to even the highest mountain.'
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