School children, Graeme Dingle to “summit” in Waitakere to celebrate Summit Day

More than 100 school children are expected to gather on Mt Atkinson in Titirangi, tomorrow to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the day when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mt Everest.

The children have been invited by Mayor Bob Harvey to meet him and climbing legend Graeme Dingle (who will tell stories about Sir Edmund and his achievements) and to sign a two metre long message of goodwill to the people of Nepal.

Seven schools have accepted the invitation, along with several Waitakere City Councillors, two MPS (David Cunliffe and Lynn Pillay) and members of the community.

Mayor Harvey will swap stories about Sir Edmund with one of his great friends, adventurer and mountaineer Graeme Dingle. Today, Mr Dingle is Chief Executive of Project K - a national youth development organisation dedicated to maximising youth potential.

The Mayor will have with him a climbing pack used by Sir Edmund Hillary and a large photograph of the greatest living New Zealand icon.

Mayor Harvey will leave Titirangi School with about 30 children to take the short walk to the top of Mt Atkinson, at 11.15 am. He will arrive at 11.30, the exact time when Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay arrived on the summit of Everest, 50 years ago.

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