The internationally famous skyscraper climber dubbed 'The French Spider-man' will create history on Monday when he attempts to scale Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
Alain Robert will embark on the 828m climb up the world's tallest building during the Education Without Borders 2011 (EWB 2011) international student conference.
Robert, 48, who has been climbing since he was a teenager has scaled more than 100 of the world's tallest buildings including the second to fifth highest structures, often without the aid of safety harnesses.
7DAYS reported on Robert's desire to climb the mammoth structure shortly after its grand opening last year.
"We set ourselves limits, but we are all strong enough to aim higher, to achieve our goals. All we have to do is find such strength within ourselves and know how to develop it," Robert said.
As part of the 2003 EWB conference Robert climbed the 173m National Bank of Abu Dhabi building, watched by almost 100,000 spectators. That was his first climbing foray with the EWB conferences, returning for 2005 event where he climbed the 160m Etisalat building in Abu Dhabi. For the 2007 EWB he climbed the 185m ADIA building, also in Abu Dhabi.
© 7Days 2011
