Amar Latif
Amar Latif is a blind traveller, speaker, entrepreneur and television presenter with an astonishing track record of facing up to major challenges. Due to an incurable eye condition, Amar lost 95% of his sight by the age of 18. Through sheer determination, he has managed to turn an unpromising tale of loss, into one of inspirational achievement.
Amar became known to millions through the groundbreaking BBC2 reality series, Beyond Boundaries, a jungle endurance expedition across Central America. Screened worldwide, this was a gruelling 220-mile trek on foot across the rugged interior of Nicaragua, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
Amar Latif had to ford swollen rivers, cut through dense jungle, cross waterfalls, climb a 5,000 ft. active volcano and navigate the second largest lake in Latin America.
Most recently, Amar took part in Celebrity MasterChef, their first blind contestant, reaching the semi-final and the final six of the competition, attracting a legion of fans along the way. 2019 saw him team up with comedian Sara Pascoe in Travelling Blind to lead this BBC documentary through some of Turkey’s most famous attractions, all in the name of showing Sara (and the hundreds of thousands of viewers who tuned in to join them) exactly how much there is to be gained by stepping out of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to new ways of seeing the world.
In 2004, Amar founded Traveleyes, the world’s first commercial tour operator to specialise in holidays for blind as well as sighted travellers. Traveleyes has opened the holiday travel industry to millions of blind and partially sighted people around the world, giving them the opportunity to walk with lions in Africa, sail the Ionian Sea and ski down Europe’s highest mountains.
For his entrepreneurial achievements, Amar received The Outstanding Young Person of the World accolade (Business / Entrepreneurial category) from the Chamber of Commerce International and the prestigious Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award, presented by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
Amar works with schools around the world taking students on a wide range of travel adventures whilst having them describe the sights to other blind travellers. By broadening the mindset of young people today, Amar hopes to create a more accessible world for those with vision impairment in the future.
SPEAKING
Though he has faced major challenges throughout his life, Amar Latif has managed to turn an unpromising tale of inherited disability and loss into one of truly inspirational achievement.
Amar’s multimedia presentations cover a wide range of topics, including –
- Entrepreneurship,
- Motivation and inspiration,
- Inclusive Design
- Equality and Diversity.
All of Amar’s humorous speeches are relatable, fast-paced and supplemented with photos and videos of his exploits and adventures. He has spoken for audiences from around the world, from Goldman Sachs and Lloyds Banking to the United Nations.
This has been the most inspiring and touching presentation I have ever experienced in my twenty five years of working in this company.
— HR Director, BT
I cannot thank you enough. I can say with confidence that Amar’s speech was the highlight of the day for many - I believe it is going to be something that people will be talking about for a long time!
— Allergan
I wanted to thank you for speaking to us at Barclays Capital. It was great to meet you and we have had some really positive feedback from the attendees, all of whom found your talk incredibly motivating. As a result we have boosted our Disability Awareness Forum membership significantly and we will be able to build on this for future events.
— Equality & Diversity Director, Barclays Capital
