Inspiring generations: Polar dreams

Dubai: Majid Fairouz and Buti Qurwash. Remember these names? Come March 3, the two Emiratis will go down in history as the first duo from Dubai to visit Antarctic to raise environmental awareness.

The Dubai Airports employees will be among an elite group of 65 people hand-picked from 25 nations to journey to the South Pole in an expedition led by legendary polar explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan OBE on his International Antarctic Expedition 2011 in March.

Beyond imagination

Fairouz, 33, Head of Planning at Dubai Airport, was informed on Wednesday that he had made the final cut. "Words can't explain my feelings," he says. Fairouz was on the reserve team and never imagined that he would be in the final two. "Opportunity was knocking at my door and I wasn't about to turn it down. The management at Dubai Airport invested their trust in us," he says, adding that upon his return, he will be recognised, along with Qurwash, as an ambassador for education, environment and sustainability.

His colleague Qurwash, 27, is on Cloud Nine. "I thrive on challenges; I seek adventure and am loyal to my nation. I am proud to be selected." Qurwash, who is Head of Security at Dubai Airport, is still in the process of absorbing the responsibility he needs to shoulder. "When I returned from vacation, I found out about this expedition. I applied on January 30. Two days later I was a part of the final team."

Qurwash, who has worked at Dubai Airport for nearly seven years, admits that this isn't going to be a walk in the park. "We're not going on a holiday. Majid and I will be there as the face of the UAE, representing the people here. Upon our return, we want to educate people about the urgency of the situation, the importance of renewable energy, sustainability and do all we can to protect our environment."

"To be a part of something big, something that makes a difference, not just to me, my family and my country, but to the future generations of this earth, has been my dream," adds Fairouz.

The expedition will be led by Swan, whose company, 2041, aims to inform, engage and inspire the next generation of leaders to take responsibility for sustainability.

Since 2003, 2041 has introduced Antarctica to over 200 participants.

Swan is the first person to walk on both the North and South Poles. "Walking across the Antarctic is like walking across a desert. On this 2041 expedition, I will be taking Majid and Buti from the sands of their desert, to the ice of mine," he says.

"2041 is about survival. The last great exploration left on earth is to survive. The planet will look after itself. Our mission is to survive as a species. In order to protect Antarctica and the rest of our planet, we must inspire leaders to return home and create change on a personal level, community level, the corporate level and beyond," he says.

Human activities in Antarctica are governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System, which ensures that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only and that the environment is protected. This document can be reviewed after the 50-year anniversary in 2041.

The expedition will kick off on March 3, when Qurwash and Fairouz leave for the world's southern-most city Ushuaia, Argentina. Over the next 16 days, they will sail across Drake Passage, arrive on the Antarctic and commence a six-day journey through the wilderness.

One left behind

For Emirati Jinan Faris, her lifelong dream of voyaging to Antarctica has been put on hold for yet another year. As a member of the reserve team for the 2041 expedition, Jinan would've been the first Emirati woman on Antarctica had she been selected.

The Asset Manager for the Commercial Unit of Dubai International Airport, said: "The Antarctic Peninsula has been my dream ever since I can remember. I love adventure, I'm involved in environmental charities and spend all winters in sub-zero temperatures. In my heart, I know that someday, all of this will lead me on the road to Antarctica. I may not be the first Emirati woman to set foot there, but I will definitely achieve my Antarctic dream."