Title: Follow the Women for Peace
Location:
Global
Categories: Peace & Conflict
Education
Human Rights
Status:
In Planning
Timeline:
July 1 08 to April 1 09
Description:
Follow the Women for Peace is an international women initiative that uses women-only cycling through Middle Eastern countries to raise awareness on the urgent need for peace and to empower women.
The next (5th) Women for Peace Bike Ride will be in April 2009.
Background:
FOLLOW THE WOMEN is an
international movement of women who want to show solidarity with women in the Middle East,. The cycle ride events aim at raising awareness and media attention to the current situation in the Middle Eastern region, and how the conflict affects the lives of women and children. It aspires to promote peace and cross-cultural understanding.
In the 4 FTW bike rides (April 2004, September 2005, April 2007, May 2008) around 250-280 women from 35 different countries pedaled around 300 km for Peace in the Middle East starting in Lebanon, through Syria, Jordan and into Palestine (since 2005). Women aged 18-70 from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds unite for 2 weeks in a common purpose: the quest for peace and security, and human rights for their fellow women in the Middle East. FOLLOW THE WOMEN demonstrates practical cross-cultural solidarity between women, highlights their shared humanity and advocates for peace and security as the basic precondition for enjoying one's rights. While the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 60th anniversary, so does the dispossession and lack of basic rights of the Palestinian people who live as refugees or under occupation. Participating women show that they care and are willing to put their lives, jobs and families on hold while they exert all efforts to cycle for a cause they believe in. News of the organization and its objectives spread as the cyclists return to their home countries and tell of their own experience and new perceptions that contradict the widely spread stereotypes of Arab countries. Women solidarity, creativity, and will power can bridge all divides when women want to make a difference. We use the WOMEN ONLY BIKE RIDE to attract media and world attention as cycling women are not a common sight in Arab countries and therefore a unique symbolic way of attracting media attention to the need for peace, security, and freedom of movement as a basic human right to be enjoyed by all. By cycling together, women show solidarity, make friends across cultural, religious and geographic divides and stress that women want to be part in decision making and solutions for a better future. But violence, violations of human rights and suffering have not stopped yet.
Therefore, in the 2009 once again all women are invited to join FTW to cross borders from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine and build bridges of understanding between women from Western and Arab countries.
Objectives:
The aims of Follow the Women are to:
• Raise awareness of how the current situation in the Middle East affects the lives of women and children.
• Show solidarity with women in the region and build a network of mutual support
• Change misconceptions about Palestine and the Middle East and portray people’s realities in the media
• Provide a platform for women's dialogue and shared experience
• Stress the urgency of real peace in the Middle East, and pursue efforts to bring an end to violence and suffering
• Highlight women’s creative power and their right to active participation
• Develop and support peace initiatives on local, national and international levels.
Milestones:
1st FTW-Middle East Bike Ride for Peace 18. - 25.4. 2004 Lebanon-Syria-Jordan
240 women from 23 countries (aged 18-63) pedalled from Beirut – Saida - Damascus – Bosra Al Sham – Hashemite University/Mafraq - Amman , followed by 2 Day Peace Workshop
2nd FTW-Middle East Bike Ride for Peace 15. - 25. 9. 2005 Lebanon – Syria –Jordan – Palestine
210 women from 17 countries (aged 18-70) Beirut – Saida – Golan Heights – Irbid – - Jericho - Ramallah
3rd FTW-Middle East Bike Ride for Peace 6.-18. April 2007\r\nSyria – Lebanon – Syria –Jordan – Palestine
180 women from 20 countries (aged 18-67) Aleppo – Lathakiya – Beirut – Saida (Regional Rides: Tripolis –Bekaa – Shouf Mountains) – Damascus – Amman –Madaba – Jericho –Beit Sahour - Jerusalem -Bethlehem
4th FTW Middle East Bike for Peace 2.-15. May 2008 Lebanon – Syria – Jordan – Palestine
260 women from over 30 countries (aged 19-68) Beirut – Mount Lebanon (Baakleen-Sheheem) -Saida – Bekaa Valley – Damascus – Quneitra/Golan Heights – Swaida – Amman – Madaba - Dead Sea – Jericho – Ramallah – Nablus - Jenin
Budget:
Approximately 25.000 EURO needed for each of the 4 Arab countries (to be covered by sponsors & supporters)
+ Participation fee & bike hire & travel expenses (paid by participants)
Needs:
active participation of women world-wide, volunteers as organizers & fund-raisers,
alliances with international, regional & local women organizations who support peace and women's active role,
Help in funding and organizing the next bike ride for peace - April 12.-24., 2009.
We need all the support we can get for our cause and collect donations to renovate playgrounds for children in Refugee Camps in Palestine
Contact Name: Martha Sara
Contact Email Address: sara.martha@gmail.com
Contact Phone Number: 00962-79 5695580
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