Born and raised in North Macedonia, Ilina Arsova developed a passion for climbing at a young age. Her first ascent at age 14 was all it took to captivate her–she was determined to climb more mountains. The more challenging and riskier the peaks, the more enticing they became to her. She pushed her limits, leaving the comfort of home for months at a time to scale peaks around the world.

In 2013, she climbed Mount Everest to become the first woman from her country to reach the world’s highest peak. Six years later, she successfully scaled Mount Vinson becoming the first North Macedonian woman to climb each of the Seven Summits and one of only around 70 women worldwide. In response to her accomplishments, North Macedonia is now recognizing mountain sports for female athletes – the first time in the history of the country. “Mountaineering is very fulfilling,” Ilina says. “I have learned a lot of lessons about how to survive and also how to appreciate what is around us.” Using her platform as one of the most accomplished athletes in her country, Ilina developed IKAR Hut, a center that offers art workshops, cultural tours, and a myriad of outdoor adventures for the youth of North Macedonia.