Beirut Marathon Association – Run for Peace – HSBC Vivicitta – June 1st 2008

Beirut, Lebanon, has for many years been depicted as “the war ravaged city of the Middle East” where peace is but a dream. However, as of today, a new president has been elected and the political world has seen fit to agree upon a common plan of action for a stable and secure future, so with this chapter finally closed, Lebanon is set to make a different kind of history.

The Beirut Marathon Association (BMA) has for a long time faced monumental challenges, through times of war and assassinations and political unrest. to host events of international acclaim. In its five year history the event has seen some 167,000 participants join together to run, defying the forces that have worked against stability, laying claim to being the Middle East’s largest annual sporting athletic event.

The title of the race is given by UISP (Unione Italia Sport per Tutti) which since its inception 25 years ago in Sarajevo has been an international event whose aim has been to bring together people of all nations to run for peace. Now in its second year in Lebanon the event stands to make a statement for peace as the country takes its first steps into a new world.

HSBC Vivicitta will comprise two races, an International Half Marathon where international athletes are joining together in the race with Mare Dibaba (Female 1st Place Warsaw Half Marathon 08, PB 71:54) and Shitaye Gemechu (Female 4th Place Paris Marathon 08) taking the women’s field and men, DEREJE TADESSE GIRMA – ETHIOPIA (with an unofficial 61:50 time), and ALEMAYEHU SHUMYE TAFERE – ETHIOPIA (71 minute half in Ethiopia, making his first international appearance) the race is set to be a stiff competition. Lebanese champions are thrilled to be facing an international field of such a high caliber and with a prize purse of $15,000 the race is set to take its place in the world’s annual sporting calendar. The second event of the day will be a 5k Student’s Run for Peace which will count towards the Lebanese Championships.

The track takes the athletes on a tour of East and West Beirut, passing some of the most beautiful parts of the city, including running along the corniche, once famed to be the Monaco of the Middle East, before turning inland and passing along the ‘green line’ that once separated the two sides of a warring nation, before returning to the iconic reconstructed downtown central district of the now bustling and modern Beirut.

BMA President May El Khalil said “HSBC Vivicitta Run for Peace is unique and its timing perfect in celebrating a new peace in Lebanon, and in sending out a message of hope through sports. We want the world to see that through sports unity can be achieved, and we believe that this is a message to the world of the start of a new era. We hope that sports organizations and media across the globe will trumpet this initiative in support of a better world”.

HSBC CEO Charles Hall said, “We are proud to be associated with this event and have signed a four year partnership with the BMA because we believe in the professionalism of the organization and the aims of the race. It supports our global Corporate Social Responsibility values and we hope to see a worldwide impact for peace through this event”.

www.beirutmarathon.org