FindingLife on Mt. Everest

This keynote presentation shares Elia Saikaly’s personal story of challenge, courage, compassion, and risk. Through stunning visuals and compelling storytelling, he inspires a greater understanding of how challenges and adversity can shape us into the people we are born to be.

Saikaly brings audiences though his journey from rock bottom to the peak of Mount Everest, where he honoured the memory of his friend and mentor, Dr. Sean Egan. This journey inspired him to create FindingLife, a non-profit educational program, which has virtually brought 20,000 Canadian students to the summit of Mount Everest, all in honour of his friend’s life.

Saikaly also delves into more complex experiences including surviving the 2015 Earthquake and avalanche on Mt. Everest and his most recent ascent of K2, the second tallest mountain on Earth, where he enabled and co-led a recovery mission of a young man in search of his father who disappeared on the upper slopes of the world’s deadliest mountain.

This inspirational and empowering keynote is a celebration of how tragedy can inspire hope and lead to positive change.
With the use of stunning immersive 4K video and soundtracks, Saikaly brings the beauty and danger of Everest and the world’s tallest peaks to life while sharing lessons of success and failure during his ascents. His presentation explores themes such as goal setting, teamwork, courage, calculated risks, resilience, resourcefulness, believing in oneself, and giving back to society.