Dubai: Aiming to give a voice to children with special needs and bring them to the forefront of the society, an Emirati student, Jalal Bin Thaneya, yesterday climbed the stairs of five towers on Shaikh Zayed Road starting with Emirates Towers.
Bin Thaneya will also climb the stairs of the rest of the towers to the top, including the Burj Al Arab, some Emaar towers in the Dubai Marina, Chelsea Towers, Dusit Hotel, Shangri La Hotel and, finally, the World Trade Centre.
He attempts to raise money for children with special needs at the Rashid Paediatrics Therapy Centre.
The adventure is expected to last 12 to 15 days, with Bin Thaneya going from one tower to another and sleeping in his car.
He will climb the stairs of 50 towers twice to achieve 100 towers. Bin Thaneya will be doing five towers every day. A 21-year-old business management student at Middlesex University, Bin Thaneya believes that donating money or walking 3km is not enough and it takes more to attract attention towards the children who are usually hidden from the rest of the society.
"It is difficult, especially since the stairways are narrow and I am facing difficulty in breathing. It did not affect my health, but it is difficult to climb the stairs in that atmosphere," Bin Thaneya told Gulf News after climbing the two Emirates Towers. Bin Thaneya said he will climb the stairs slowly, as climbing fast may hurt him.
"I have practised a lot and will wear a safety vest and I will also have full medical support from Medcare Hospital ... there will be a doctor and a paramedic with me all the time."
Safety issues
Bin Thaneya said he is feeling a tremendous inner satisfaction, and is looking forward to realising this dream, especially raising money for people with special needs.
"I have set up a website jalalstower100.blogspot.com to receive donations as well. It is great to accomplish memorable things that you can cherish forever, and achieve noble goals through which you are able to extend help to others and ease their suffering," Bin Thaneya said.
His attempt is likely to win him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. "I will record how many steps I do and submit it, but that is not the aim now."
Firas Dahlan, Business Relations Development Manager for DP World, a sponsor, said: "Bin Thaneya's attempt comes within DP World's keenness to honour its responsibilities towards society."
DIARY OF TOWER 100:
January 20:
Emirates Tower - 355 meters, 54 floors
Emirates Tower
Al Ghadeer Tower
Al Ghadeer Tower
Al Ghadeer Tower
Al Ghadeer Tower
Sky Tower - 24 floors
Sky Tower
Sky Tower
Sky Tower
January 21:
Ghaya Residence – 34 floors
Ghaya Residence
Ghaya Residence
Ghaya Residence
Rose Rotana Tower – 333 meters, 72 floors
Rose Rotana Tower
Rose Rotana Tower
Rose Rotana Tower
January 22:
Oasis Tower – 32 floors
Bistro 21st Century Tower – 269 meters, 55 floors
Bistro 21st Century Tower
Bistro 21st Century Tower
Bistro 21st Century Tower
January 23:
Dusit Dubai – 153 meters, 40 floors
Dusit Dubai
Dusit Dubai
Dusit Dubai
Emirates Marina Hotel and Residence – 256 meters, 59 floors
Emirates Marina Hotel and Residence
Emirates Marina Hotel and Residence
Emirates Marina Hotel and Residence
Grosvners House Hotel – 48 floors, 210 meters
24th of January
Habtoor Grand 1 – 109 meters, 24 floors
Habtoor Grand 2
Oasis Beach Tower – 32 floors
Oasis Beach Tower
Oasis Beach Tower
Oasis Beach Tower
La Riviera – 37 floors
Marina Heights Tower – 55 floors, 208 meters
Marina Residence Tower – 69 meters, 17 floors
Al Sahab 1 Tower (located left of the 3rd signal after the Marina walk) – 44 floors
January 25:
I will now head off back to Sheikh Zayed Road in order to go up the Millenium Towers Hotel. The Hotel is located between Emirates Gold Club and Mall of The Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Millenium Towers Hotel – 285 meters, 60 floors
Millenium Towers Hotel
Millenium Towers Hotel
Millenium Towers Hotel
Al Manara Tower – 36 floors
I will then head back towards Sheikh Zayed Road on the side heading towards Jabal Ali, opposite to the initial starting area.
Starting at the Al Manara Tower located near the Shangri-La Hotel towards the end of the service road.
Shangr-La Hotel Dubai – 43 floors
Shangr-La Hotel Dubai
Shangr-La Hotel Dubai
Shangr-La Hotel Dubai
Al Meraikhi Tower – 125 meters, 32 floors
January 26:
White Building – relatively small
Chelsea Tower – 250 meters, 49 floors
Chelsea Tower
Chelsea Tower
Chelsea Tower
The Blue Building
January 27:
Towers Rotana Hotel – 115 meters, 37 floors
Towers Rotana Hotel
Towers Rotana Hotel
Towers Rotana Hotel
Union Tower – 30 floors
Union Tower
Union Tower
Union Tower
January 28:
Saeed Tower II – 155 meters, 38 floors
Saeed Tower II
Saeed Tower II
Saeed Tower II
Al Rostamani Tower A – 16 floors
Al Rostamani Tower A
Al Rostamani Tower A
Al Rostamani Tower A
January 29:
Sahara Tower – 31 floors
Al Safa Tower – 22 floors
Al Safa Tower
Al Safa Tower
Al Safa Tower
Al Wasl Tower – 22 floors
Al Wasl Tower
Al Wasl Tower
Al Wasl Tower
January 30:
City Tower 2 - 22 floors
City Tower 2
City Tower 2
City Tower 2
Al Durrah Tower – 18 floors
Al Durrah Tower
Al Durrah Tower
Al Durrah Tower
January 31:
Crown Plaza Dubai -
Crown Plaza Dubai
Crown Plaza Dubai
Crown Plaza Dubai
API World Tower – 130 meters, 32 floors
API World Tower
API World Tower
API World Tower
February 1:
100. Trade Center – 149 meters, 39 floors
