Peace climb planned 和平登山計畫籌劃中

People of different religions will meet to create an international team of "peace climbers" to scale the world's highest mountain in April.

The Mount Everest Peace Project climbers come from seven countries and follow five different religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.

"We are trying to make a human statement," said Lance Trumbull, the California man who came up with the idea. "The mountain of intolerance, prejudice and ignorance can be surmounted. People of different faiths and cultures can, together, do amazing things."

To organize the climb, Trumbull started www.everestpeaceproject.org, then started finding climbers and sponsors for the trip. The team includes two Israelis and one Palestinian, as well as climbers from India, Nepal, New Zealand, South Africa and the US.

Trumbull noted they "even have an atheist" climber on the team.

Companies have provided equipment and money. "Climbing Everest is not cheap," said Trumbull, noting that the trip could cost more than US$350,000 (NT$11.38 million). "It's been an uphill battle. But, for an Everest climb, that is appropriate."

Organizers also want to have someone come along to make a movie about the climb, but they are still looking for a sponsor to cover the cost. (AFP)

一些信奉不同宗教的同好將組成一支國際「和平登山者」隊，打算在四月份攀登世界最高峰。

參與「埃佛勒斯山和平計畫」的登山者來自七個不同的國家，分別信奉伊斯蘭教、猶太教、基督教、印度教和回教。

來自加州，也是這項計畫發起人的蘭斯．杜倫巴爾說：「我們正試著為人類發表聲明。偏執、成見及無知的山嶺都能被征服。擁有不同信仰及文化的人也可以一起完成某些令人驚歎的事。」

為了籌劃這次登山活動，杜倫巴爾先架設了網站www.everestpeaceproject.org，接著又開始招募登山隊員及山旅的贊助商。這支登山隊的成員包括兩名以色列人、一名巴勒斯坦人，以及其他來自印度、尼泊爾、紐西蘭、南非和美國的登山同好。

杜倫巴爾也提到，他們的隊伍中「甚至還有一名無神論者」。

各贊助公司已提供所需的設備及資金。杜倫巴爾說：「攀登埃佛勒斯山並不便宜，這趟旅行的花費可能超過三十五萬美元（新台幣一千一百三十八萬元）。募集設備及資金就跟攀登埃佛勒斯山一樣，是場苦戰。」

籌劃者還想找人隨隊將攀登過程拍攝成電影，不過他們仍在尋找願意出資的贊助者。 （法新社）