Anthony Ghanime, a 27-year-old Glendale resident, recently climbed the tallest peak in Africa—Mt. Kilimanjaro, Asbarez reports.
A Chamlian and Rose & Alex Pilibos School alumnus, Anthony traveled to Africa on Tuesday, July 9. The trek to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro took a total 8 days, from July 11 to 18.
When he reached the summit, Anthony raised an Armenian flag that kept in his Pilibos fanny pack throughout his climb. He returned to Los Angeles on Saturday, July 20.
Anthony is currently enrolled in an MBA program at the University of California, Irvine. With his program starting in September, he had enough time to plan and prepare for his trek up the mountain.
Prior to applying to graduate schools, Anthony spent time working abroad at Intel, as well as at an engineering company called Q-MEP.
"The privilege of being able to call myself an Armenian is something I’ve held dear to my heart my whole life and one I’ll continue to hold the rest of my life. It only seemed fitting for me to raise the Armenian flag on the summit, because of the meaning the flag holds in my heart," Anthony said in an interview to Asbarez.
"Being able to raise that flag was my way of paying homage to my community, family, teachers, schools, and mentors for their effort in not only my development as a proud Armenian but the development of Armenian youth in general. I also hoped that it would be a type of catalyst for Armenian youth to pursue and challenge themselves in accomplishing feats that not only our community can be proud of, but that ones from other communities can also admire," he said.
