Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Climb Your Everest: Leadership, Resilience, and Women’s Empowerment in a Changing World | An Onsite Lecture

Details

The UP Asian Center will be holding the onsite lecture "Climb Your Everest: Leadership, Resilience, and Women’s Empowerment in a Changing World" on 7 May 2026, 2:00 PM, PST (GMT+8), at the Japan Hall, UP Asian Center. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to register online.. The event is free and open to the public, but signing in to a (free) Zoom account is required.

  

ABOUT THE LECTURE

In the context of ongoing global uncertainties and rapid socio-political transformations, there is a growing need for leadership that is resilient, purpose-driven, and inclusive. This lecture by Dr. Sara Safari, an internationally recognized leadership speaker, educator, and mountaineer, offers a unique perspective on navigating challenges through perseverance and ethical leadership.

Drawing from her experiences as the first Iranian woman to complete the Seven Summits and as a Mount Everest climber, Dr. Safari translates extreme real-world challenges into meaningful lessons on leadership, resilience, and social responsibility. Delivered in a TED-style format, the talk combines storytelling and reflection, highlighting how adversity shapes leadership and how individuals can transform challenges into opportunities for growth and service.

Through her nonprofit organization, Climb Your Everest, Dr. Safari advocates for women’s empowerment through education, leadership development, and community engagement. The lecture will emphasize the role of women’s empowerment in building inclusive and sustainable communities, while encouraging participants to reflect on their own personal and professional “Everest.” The lecture aims to:

      1. Highlight the role of resilience and purpose in effective leadership;
      2. Emphasize the importance of women’s empowerment in fostering inclusive societies;
      3. Encourage participants to reflect on their personal and professional goals;
      4. Inspire engagement in initiatives that promote social impact and community development.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

DR. SARA SAFARI
Founder and President, Climb Your Everest

Dr. Sara Safari is an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, Electrical Engineer and advocate for women empowerment. She is the founder and president of a nonprofit called Climb Your Everest that focuses on empowering marginalized Young women through educational programs. She has received the award for The Global Citizen from United Nations Association in 2015. She is a board member and director of development in Empower Nepali Girls foundation. She also has received the award for Outstanding Practice with Broad Impact in the area of women and leadership from International Leadership Association in 2017. Sara is the first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits, the seven highest peaks in each continent.

ABOUT THE REACTORS

ALIYA S. PELEO, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UP Asian Center

Dr. Aliya Peleo earned her Ph.D. at the Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She has an MA in International Development from the Graduate School of International Relations at the International University of Japan in Niigata, Japan. She has worked on a number of development projects in Central Asia with UNESCO, the Peace Corps/Kazakhstan, USAID, and ADB. She has also taught economics and management at the KIMEP University, International Academy of Business, and Suleyman Demirel University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

MARIA KATRINA BACANI-FLORENCIO
Lecturer, UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas

Chay Bacani-Florencio is a lecturer on Philippine language, culture, society, and the Filipino orientation on research methodologies in the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas of U.P. Diliman. Currently pursuing graduate studies in MA Filipino, Wika; her academic contributions focus on gender and sociolinguistics in the areas of translation and language planning in aid of public policy towards the localization of care and gender justice.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

This conference is organized by the UP Asian Center.

For inquiries, please contact us at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 891-8500 loc. 3586.