Maltese Police Sergeant Ryan Mifsud Schembri is preparing to take on a demanding trek towards Everest Base Camp, turning a longstanding personal ambition into an initiative supporting people affected by terrorism.
Mifsud Schembri is due to begin his trek in Nepal on 24 September 2026. His route will take him towards Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres and Kala Patthar at approximately 5,600 metres.
Behind the physical challenge is a cause closely connected to his professional experience. Mifsud Schembri works within the Malta Police Force’s Counter Terrorism Unit and has previously been involved in cooperation with Europol.
A personal challenge with a wider purpose
Trekking in the Himalayas has long been a personal goal for Mifsud Schembri, but he wanted the challenge to have a purpose beyond completing it for himself.
He chose to support Victim Support Europe’s Terrorism Response Network, an organisation whose work he was already familiar with.
“If, through doing something I already dreamed of doing, I can also raise awareness and help others, then it is certainly worth trying,” Mifsud Schembri told Mela Bonġu.
His aim is to draw attention not only to terrorist attacks themselves, but to what happens to the people affected long after an attack disappears from public attention.
“Behind every attack there is another story, the victims, their families, friends, witnesses and sometimes entire communities,” he said.
Keeping victims in the conversation
Mifsud Schembri said one of his main goals is to raise awareness that the consequences of terrorism do not end when an incident is no longer making headlines.
“For many victims, that is when a much longer journey begins,” he said.
His professional background has brought him into direct contact with the subject of terrorism and its consequences. Previous reporting by TVM News identified Mifsud Schembri as serving with the Malta Police Force’s Counter Terrorism Unit during training involving Europol officials in Malta.
For this challenge, however, the focus is firmly on the people left dealing with the long-term effects of terrorism and on supporting the network assisting them.
Preparing for more than 5,000 metres
Reaching Everest Base Camp presents a very different challenge from Mifsud Schembri’s professional work.
His preparations have included long walks, stair climbing and cardiovascular training, together with conditioning focused particularly on his legs, core and back. The aim is to prepare his body for consecutive days of trekking while carrying a backpack.
Some training sessions also involve a respiratory resistance mask. Mifsud Schembri is careful to point out that this does not recreate genuine high-altitude conditions, but instead adds breathing resistance and makes certain workouts more demanding.
Altitude will be one of the biggest challenges once he reaches the higher stages of the trek, particularly as the route approaches Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar.
From Malta to the Himalayas
Mifsud Schembri is sharing his preparations as the departure approaches, with the intention of continuing to document the expedition while raising awareness of the cause.
For him, reaching one of the world’s most famous trekking destinations is only part of what he hopes to achieve.
The larger objective is to use the attention surrounding the challenge to keep victims, families and communities affected by terrorism visible long after the immediate headlines have passed.
On 24 September, that message will accompany him from the beginning of the trail in Nepal towards Everest Base Camp.
