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150 cyclists pedal through Madaba to raise awareness of Palestinian identity

By Muath Freij - May 06,2017 - Last updated at May 06,2017

Participants cycle through Madaba to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining the Palestinian identity on Saturday (Photo courtesy of Cycling 4 Palestine)

AMMAN — Around 150 cyclists on Saturday pedalled their way through Madaba for 15 kilometres to spread awareness about the importance of maintaining the Palestinian identity and to show attachment to their homeland. 

Held under the title "Cycling 4 Palestine", the ride was organised by Taawon for Youth (WAY) in Jordan.

Madaba, located 30km southwest of Amman, was among 25 cities in the world that hosted similar events. 

Tamer Atia, WAY’s president, said the event was held for the sixth year in Jordan, adding that this is the first time it was observed globally. 

“We wanted to reach out to all Palestinians across the world, with one goal in mind: to emphasise a Palestinian identity that is full of hope and removed from politics,” he told The Jordan Times.

Participants from different countries including Japan, Britain, Bahrain, the UAE, Canada and Argentina took part in the event. 

“We all wanted to be like one body and one soul,” Atia added. 

Since 2009, WAY has been organising the annual event in the Dead Sea area in both Jordan and Jericho, Palestine. 

Attracting thousands of people and raising over half a million dollars in proceeds, the event has raised awareness on many key Palestinian issues while supporting numerous development projects, such as women’s empowerment in the agriculture sector in Palestine, Al Bayara Project in Gaza and a youth sports club in Silwan, Jerusalem, according to a statement from the  organisers. 

Atia noted that there were children as young as seven participating in the ride. 

“That was something good to witness because our initiatives mostly focus on the youth,” he stated. 

WAY is a youth network providing young people with opportunities to support the Palestinian people and their identity, through awareness-raising and youth engagement, the statement added.

 

WAY is a not-for-profit organisation established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1983 by Palestinian and Arab business and intellectual figures to support sustainable development and provide humanitarian relief to the Palestinian people in its areas of operation, according to the statement.

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