Berlin Marathon: Run for Shalit
Israeli organizers plan campaign to raise awareness of situation of captive Israeli soldier during annual marathon in German capital. Goal is to get 1,183 participants to run wearing wristband with the number 1,183 on it, representing number of days Shalit has been held by Hamas
September 20th will mark 1,183 days in Hamas captivity for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit - 1,183 days with his condition unknown and no contact with the outside world. And now, an Israeli group has set the goal of getting 1,183 pairs of legs to run the Berlin Marathon while wearing a light blue wristband with the number 1,183 imprinted on it as a symbol of their participation in the struggle to have Shalit freed, in another attempt to raise international awareness of the captive soldier's situation.
The initiative is the brainchild of Israeli film director Ron Segal who currently lives in Berlin, in cooperation with a number of Israeli and Jewish bodies, including the Israeli embassy in Berlin, the Israeli-German Friendship Association and the Jewish community in Berlin. Tempelhof-Schöneberg Mayor Ekkehard Band has also agreed to take part in the project as part of the sister city agreement between Tempelhof and Nahariya, where Gilad spent his childhood.
And running isn't the only way you can help, "The word must be spread in order to increase the number of runners. People must know that something is happening in Berlin in the near future," Segal said. On the day of the race PR stations will be set up at the Tempelhof Airport and near the city square where the runners will pass by. Volunteers will try to get the estimated 40,000 runners to participate in the campaign by handing out wristbands and T-shirts to runners and passersby.
In response to the question, "Have the organizers evaluated the efficiency of such a project for Gilad Shalit's release?" the organizers said, "We hope that by the day of the marathon we will be able to cancel all the preparations made. It will take not one action, but a number of actions, including raising awareness of Shalit's condition to bring about his release.
Date of marathon will be 1,183 days in captivity for Gilad Shalit
"World records have been broken more than a few times in the Berlin Marathon, and the event gets broad media coverage, and if 1,183 of the runners chose to dedicate their racetrack to Gilad, then maybe, with the help of the media, awareness will be raised and this will lead to pressure being put on the relevant people and bodies."
Gilad Shalit's parents, Aviva and Noam, expressed their support of the initiative and wrote a moving letter on the project's website: "There is much similarity between running a marathon and being held in captivity. They both demand patience, endurance, optimism and willingness both of the body and spirit - but, there is a subtle difference between the two. The runner prepares himself gradually over a long period of time and, more importantly, he knows where the finish line is. But our Gilad was not given the advantage of preparing himself or the privilege of knowing where the finish line is."
"Those of you who can appreciate the freedom of movement, the liberty to do as you please, the sovereignty to be who you are. I ask you to raise your voices, here and in your countries." The letter concluded with thanks to the resident of the city, the organizers and the dedicated runners, and was signed by both Aviva and Noam Shalit.
You don't have to be in Berlin to take part in the project. You can help by entering run4me.com, the project's website, signing an online petition, and spreading the word to as many people as possible. And it won't be just Israeli runners taking part in the race either, as the list of runners includes people from various countries and religions, including Muslim runners.
"The activity is open to the entire public and anyone that views Gilad's case as a case of the violation of basic human rights," the organizers said. So far, hundreds of people have already signed up to take part in the campaign.
