MEDIA Advisory
More than Just a Mountaineer: Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund was one of the greatest role models for international development, according to Rae Julian, Executive
Director of the Council for International Development.
“Many people would have taken their hero status for granted after an achievement such as his on Mount Everest. He used
his fame to make a difference for the Sherpa people who had helped him to achieve it, the Nepalese, who are among the
poorest people in the world. Through setting up the Himalayan Trust he was able to raise millions of dollars from people
in New Zealand and his contacts internationally.”
“It was not enough for him, however, just to stay at home and fundraise. For as long as he was able, he returned to the
Himalayan villages, working with the builders to ensure that the projected schools and hospitals became a reality. His
partnership with the Sherpa people has endured to this day”.
“CID adds its voice to all of the New Zealanders who are mourning the death of this great man. He may not still be
around but his legacy will remain”.
ENDS