SYRIA: The 'Follow the Women's' annual bicycle tour for peace in the Middle East begins in Syria

Record ID: 279651

  • Title: SYRIA: The 'Follow the Women's' annual bicycle tour for peace in the Middle East begins in Syria
  • Date: 10th April 2007
  • Summary: (MER-2) LATTAKIA, SYRIA (APRIL 8, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN STANDING BY THEIR BICYCLES BEFORE START OF BICYCLE TOUR (SOUNDBITE) (English) DETTA REGAN, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE 'FOLLOW THE WOMEN' ORGANISATION, SAYING: "You really believe that when everyone's together that peace is really possible because we are from so many nationalities here that you think: why
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2007 13:00
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  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA9AS4OF39POM555HASWZJUZ0HQ
  • Story Text: Over 250 women from over 30 different countries set off on a 12-day women's cycle ride starting from the Syrian city of Aleppo on Saturday (April 7) to highlight some of the difficulties women and children face in the region.
    The event is organised by the charity "Follow the Women" international movement and backed by Syria's first lady and cycle tour participant Mrs Asma al-Assad.
    The cycle tour is an annual event that aims to raise international awareness of how the current political and social situation in the Middle East is effecting the lives of women and children in the region.
    "Follow the Women" was founded in 2002 by former European Woman of the Year and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Detta Regan, a youth social worker with over 20 years of experience in the field.
    Regan said she was inspired to set up "Follow the Women" after a visit to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
    Regan and others from the organisation currently dedicate much of their time to raising international awareness on the issues faced by women of the region on a daily basis, and are ultimately working for peace in the area.
    "You really believe that when everyone's together that peace is really possible because we are from so many nationalities here that you think: why is Syria called the access of evil? I mean, how can it be when it's like this?" said Regan.
    This year's cycle tour is the third annual "Follow the Women" cycle to promote peace.
    Beginning in Aleppo, the cyclists move on to Lebanon from where they must retrace their steps back into Syria --in order to avoid entering Israel-- before going onto Jordan and finally ending the tour in the Palestinian occupied territories.
    In previous years, the cycle tour drew participants from over 30 countries, ranging from 16 to 70 years of age.
    The 2007 cycle tour looks very similar with business women, students, housewives and many others taking part from countries as far and wide as the United States, Italy, Turkey, Britain, Iran and various Arab countries.
    The tour is set to end on April 19.
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