Through Arwa Damon's Lens: Seize the Summit

NYUAD Institute

This impactful debut documentary from Arwa Damon, a multi-Emmy-award winning senior war correspondent, chronicles the journey of four young individuals, all survivors of the conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, and Afghanistan, as they embark on a week-long exhilarating expedition to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro. United by their experiences and driven by a desire to reclaim joy and agency over their lives, this documentary takes the viewer on an epic adventure as they share their stories, shedding light on what it means to create a new life beyond the shadows of war. The film documents their stories of courage and resilience, as well as the physical and psychological challenges they face as they push themselves to new limits to scale Africa’s tallest peak. This mountain, with its extreme conditions, offers profound lessons to those who dare to ascend it, a journey they make together that reveals insights that go beyond expectations—these opening up new perspectives on healing, resilience, and the transformative power of human connection in the face of adversity and asks the question “what is the summit of the human spirit”?