KATHMANDU: Legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa received a Lifetime Achievement Award and Chinese mountaineer He Jing was honoured as the first woman to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres without supplementary oxygen, as Kathmandu played host to the Everest Summiteers Summit (ESS) 2026 over two days at The Soaltee Kathmandu.

Organised by Everest Alliance Nepal under the theme "Uniting Voices for the Future of the Himalaya," the summit brought together Everest summiteers, government officials, tourism leaders, environmental groups and development partners during Everest Week, blending award ceremonies with serious discussion on climate resilience, mountain safety and the future of Himalayan communities.

The two-day event opened on May 26 with a lamp-lighting ceremony, a welcome dinner and medal distribution for arriving guests. The main programme on May 27 began with a Presidential Breakfast for Everest summiteers, followed by displays of Himalayan culture, handicrafts and photography before the formal session got underway.

Alongside Kami Rita Sherpa and He Jing, outdoor gear company Pelliot was recognised for developing sustainable, high-performance equipment for high-altitude expeditions. Everest Alliance Nepal also signed an MoU with Pelliot on future collaboration in mountain safety and expedition support, while summiteers took part in a formal oath-taking ceremony led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The afternoon was given over to panel discussions. A session on women in mountaineering - featuring climbers Julia Hamilton, Alessandra Pepper, Lhakpa Phuti Sherpa and Adriana Brownlee, moderated by Billi Bierling - examined safety, dignity and the need for greater representation of women in high-altitude expeditions.

A second panel on risk and resilience brought together climbers Nathaniel Douglas, Nasuh Mahruki, Arjun Vajpai, Shehroze Kashif and Gelje Sherpa to discuss endurance, rescue operations and the changing responsibilities of modern mountaineers.

A third panel, "Scaling Climate Finance for Mountain Ecosystems," turned the focus to conservation, with representatives from WWF, ICIMOD, ZSL, IUCN and NTNC discussing climate finance and community resilience across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

The summit also recognised te Gandaki Alpine Club and Peak X.V. Trade Pvt. Ltd. for their support to the Everest Rescue Team, and closed with remarks from Mountaineering leaders and partner organisations involved in organising the event.

Everest Alliance Nepal President Sudarshan Nepal said the summit aimed to position Nepal at the centre of global conversations on sustainable mountaineering and Himalayan resilience, positioning the gathering as a platform where achievement, conservation and policy intersect.