ClimbAID

📍Perspektive wechseln: im Sport & im Leben Im Alltag bleiben wir oft in unseren gewohnten Sichtweisen. Ein Perspektivwechsel kann jedoch helfen, Raum für Neues zu schaffen. Am Montag vor einer Woche durften unsere Teilnehmenden eine ClimbAID Session im @bimano_bern besuchen. Dabei erwarteten sie verschiedene Übungen und neue Herausforderungen, indem sie den Mut hatten, etwas Neues auszuprobieren. 🧗‍♀️💪 Alle hatten grossen Spass an diesem Event! Ein herzliches Dankeschön an ClimbAID Bern für die motivierte Leitung! 🙌 Wann hast du zuletzt bewusst die Perspektive gewechselt? Probiere etwas Neues und komm vorbei, wir freuen uns auf dich! #sportegration #togetherwearebetter #perspektivwechsel #ClimbAID #MaxiBloc

Such a nice evening! 🫶 It was a genuinely special moment for the ClimbAID community to be hosted at @alpinesmuseum — in this beautiful space, surrounded by those historic Hodler murals. Thank you for the fantastic organisation, the thoughtful moderation by Isabella Helmschrott, and the many interested questions from the audience. And a big thank you to the ClimbAID community (last photo) for showing up — and for “spotting” Beat through the whole evening. 🤍 There’s a plan to record and publish the presentation (including the Q&A) — but it might take a little while. We’ll share it once it’s ready. #ClimbingforPeace #ClimbAID #ActivismAlpinism #FerdinandHodler

Klettern als Zufluchtsort Sichere Räume für junge Menschen, die von Krieg, Armut und Flucht betroffen sind – dafür steht ClimbAID. Das Projekt in der Schweiz wächst, im Libanon steht es an einem Wendepunkt. Gründer Beat Baggenstos über Zweifel und Weitermachen. Mi, 18.02.2026, 19–20.30 Uhr @alpinesmuseum Anmeldung: alps.museum/veranstaltungen/climbaid-klettern-als-zufluchtsort #climbaid #climbingforpeace

ClimbAID is not only crossing borders in the Levant — our community is growing across Europe as well. 🇩🇪🇨🇭 In September, we launched our first MaxiFamily in Germany, hosted by @BoulderKitchen in Freiburg. In Berlin, @climb2connect — offering sessions across three bouldering gyms — is becoming part of our network. And how the circle closes: Yehya – our former team member from Lebanon – is back with ClimbAID as a volunteer in Berlin. Meanwhile in Switzerland, our work is reaching new regions: New groups have formed in Schwyz (@spinnerei_indoor ) and Martigny, with Interlaken soon to follow. Today, we run over 800 sessions per year, connecting more than 1,100 people across the country. Especially in the mountain regions, where inclusive recreational activities for asylum seekers are rare, our project is a strong symbol of active inclusion and diversity. We are therefore particularly proud of these groups, which are creating new spaces for encounters and community. 🔗 Link to our newsletter and more background stories and pictures in the bio! Ps. photos 3 and 4 show some of our new coordinators at then end of their online training 🤓 #climbingforpeace #climbaid #mhpss #switzerland #germany

ClimbAID Across Borders – A New Beginning in Syria 🇸🇾 What became impossible in Lebanon — culminating in the painful dismantling of The ARC — is finding a new beginning in Syria. And this beginning is being shaped by people who have returned home with the desire to rebuild. The three Tasabehji siblings — Moaz, Yasseen and Zahira — recently returned from Canada and will soon open Jabalna (“our mountain”), Syria’s first bouldering gym. Together with Hiba, who was a core member of our team in Lebanon until two years ago, and Jacob, who returned from Germany, they are laying the foundations for a new ClimbAID project. Here, we will launch our climbing therapy programme YOUCLIMB — investing in local knowledge, strengthening community skills and contributing to the rebuilding of Syria through climbing. Hiba: “When I touched rock again in Syria, it felt like breathing after holding my breath for two years — since leaving Lebanon and the community I loved. Climbing isn’t just a sport; it’s a way to discover who I really am. Giving more people this chance means everything to me.” Jacob: “It means everything to me to climb Syrian rocks. This is the land where I want to put down roots again.” A chapter that once closed in Lebanon is opening again in Syria — carried by people who are choosing to return, reconnect and rebuild. 🔗 Link to our newsletter and more background stories and pictures in the bio! #climbingforpeace #climbaid #youclimb #mhpss #syria

💌 ClimbAID Across Borders – From Syria to the Swiss Alps This year, ClimbAID crossed borders in every sense—geographically, socially, and as a growing community. 🌍💛 From new beginnings at @jabalnaclimbing , Syria’s first bouldering gym, to expanding MaxiFamily chapters in Schwyz (@spinnerei_indoor ), Martigny and Freiburg (@boulderkitchen ), our community continues to grow. Thanks to 200 volunteers, we now run 800+ sessions each year across 19 towns in Switzerland and Germany, reaching more than 1,100 people. 👉 Full newsletter in EN/DE/FR via link in bio — stories, photos, and this year’s highlights and next year's plans. Thank you to everyone who supports our mission with time, heart and donations. Your contribution truly makes a difference. 💙 If you want to support our work in 2026, we deeply appreciate your donation. Your ClimbAID Team #ClimbAID #ClimbingForPeace #Syria #Switzerland #Germany

ClimbAID: Klettern als Zufluchtsort Sichere Räume für junge Menschen, die von Krieg, Armut und Flucht betroffen sind – dafür steht ClimbAID (@climbaid ). Während das Projekt in der Schweiz wächst, steht es im Libanon an einem Wendepunkt. Im Rahmen der neuen ALPS-Reihe «AktivismusAlpinismus» spricht Gründer Beat Baggenstos am 18. Februar 2026 über Zweifel und Weitermachen. Mehr Infos zu AktivismusAlpinismus unter alps.museum/aktivismusalpinismus #ALPS #museenbern #ausstellungenbern #museumsquartierbern

🌄 MaxiFamily Boulder Weekend 2025 – Why weekends like this matter Recently, we shared the highlights of our Bouldering Weekend in Chironico: 47 participants from 7 ClimbAID families, climbing, cooking, laughing, dancing together. But behind the joy, there’s something deeper that connects us. Rafi from MaxiQuadrel (Felsberg / @quadrelboulder ): “For me, climbing is much more than a sport – it’s a way to overcome cultural boundaries, become part of Swiss society, and build meaningful friendships.” In a world that feels increasingly polarised and divided, weekends like this offer more than just a break from everyday life. They remind us what’s possible when people from different backgrounds come together with curiosity, respect, and open hearts. We share joy, challenge, and connection – and create spaces that feel inclusive, human, and peaceful. Don’t fall for the voices that spread division and hate. Reach out, connect, and feel the difference. Thank you to everyone who helps make these moments possible – in Switzerland and beyond. ❤️ #ClimbAID #MaxiFamily #BoulderingWeekend #Chironico2025 #ClimbingforPeace

A la vall de la Bekaa, dues dones s’enfronten a murs visibles i invisibles. En un Líban marcat per les tensions, la Hiba i la Sabine troben un punt en comú: la roca. SAMA és una mirada íntima de dues dones que desafien fronteres —geogràfiques, socials i personals. SAMA de @khattarbachar . Alemanya. 2024. 26’ @climbaid [en] In the Bekaa Valley, two women face visible and invisible walls. In a Lebanon marked by tensions, Hiba and Sabine find common ground: rock. SAMA is an intimate look at two women who defy borders—geographical, social and personal. [es] En el valle de la Bekaa, dos mujeres se enfrentan a muros visibles e invisibles. En un Líbano marcado por las tensiones, Hiba y Sabine encuentran un punto en común: la roca. SAMA es una mirada íntima de dos mujeres que desafían fronteras —geográficas, sociales y personales. #TMFF2025 #TorellóMountainFilmFestival #TorellóMountainFilm #bbvacatalunya #Climb #doc #lebanon #Líban #refugees #siria

🌄 MaxiFamily Boulder Weekend 2025 - Chironico Edition 🧗‍♀️🧗‍♂️ In September, 47 participants from 7 different ClimbAID families came together in Chironico for our second Bouldering Weekend of the year. Drizzle and damp rock? Nothing could stop us. One of the highlights: MaxBloc (Bern) had set a new dinner standard back in spring – and MaxiBouba (Baden) took it as a challenge. They gave it their all and delivered a true culinary masterpiece: fresh salad, lentil curry with naan bread, and fruit tiramisu for dessert. The evening didn’t stop there: fun team games, laughter, and our now traditional crazy disco dancing – this time to drum ’n’ bass beats and Afghan vibes – kept everyone moving late into the night. On Sunday morning, with the rock still too wet to climb, we made the most of it with spontaneous yoga and a hilarious Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament… until the sun came out and the rock was dry enough to send again. The long drive to the south? Always worth it. Every single time. 🧗‍♂️❤️ Thanks to everyone supporting our projects in Switzerland and beyond. @mammut @minimumbouldering @kletterhalle_winterthur @quadrelboulder @cityboulder @bouba_boulderbaden @kletterzentrum_st.gallen @boulderbaar @peka_switzerland @topropeaccess @fischerreinach @stadtzh @kantongr #ClimbAID #MaxiFamily #BoulderingWeekend #Chironico2025 #ClimbingforPeace

❔️You climb — but do you remember why?❔️ ✨️ When @ClimbAid ’s Sama Project, Apata, and Bodhi came together, a space opened — and climbing revealed itself as something more. More than movement. More than play. More than just a sport. It’s opportunity. It’s belonging. It’s connection. It’s life in motion. And it reminded me how often we forget. We chase numbers. We judge our worth by sends and grades. We turn joy into pressure, and the mountains into mirrors for our ego. But climbing was never meant for that. It was born from passion, from freedom, from curiosity, and from community. In that moment, under the trees, we paused. We closed our eyes. We took a breath. To remember how lucky we are — to move, to share, to be here. Now’s your chance — take a moment. Close your eyes too. Think of one thing — or one person — you’re deeply grateful for. And hold it in your heart. 🌿🫶 To @ClimbAid , thank you for letting us be part of this, for reminding us what movement can mean, and for sharing it with the world. 🙏 And to everyone who listened — may this gratitude travel with us, on every climb we take. 🧡 📖 About @ClimbAid – Sama Project Sama — meaning sky in Arabic — is a long-term project by @ClimbAid , bringing climbing and outdoor education to young people in Lebanon affected by war, displacement, and social inequality. Through weekly climbing sessions, workshops, and community events, Sama creates a safe space where movement becomes a tool for healing, learning, and belonging. 🔗 Learn more or support their work: climbaid.org/projects/sama

🎬✨ Film Night at Westwood Eco Village! ✨🎬 Join us on Wednesday, October 8th, at 6:30 PM for an outdoor cinema night sharing rock climbing in Bekaa with a screening of SAMA, Climbing for Peace, followed by a screening of Free Solo. SAMA highlights how climbing transcends cultural barriers and promotes understanding and connection. It will then be followed by Free Solo, the story of climber Alex Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: scaling Yosemite's 3200-foot El Capitan without a rope. 🍕 Fresh food from our Garden and prepared in our mud oven. 📍 Free Entry ⛺️ Accommodation in the Eco Village also available Don't miss this beautiful evening under the stars!