Free to Run

August 3rd marks ten years since the horrific Daesh (or so-called Islamic State) genocide against the Yazidi people in the Sinjar region of Iraq. A decade later, we remember the immense suffering endured by the Yazidi community and stand in solidarity with survivors, many of whom remain displaced from their homeland. Free to Run remains steadfast in our work to empower and support the healing journey of Yazidi girls and young women as they continue to navigate the aftermath of this tragedy - helping them reclaim their rights, pursue justice, recover, and reintegrate into society. Their voices deserve to be heard.

On Friday at 10.51 am Paris time, 100m sprinter Kimia Yousofi will represent Afghanistan in the Women's 100m Preliminary Round (Heat 3). ✨ Kimia is one of three women on the gender-equal Afghan Olympic team, selected earlier this year. Like its athletes, the head of Afghanistan's Olympic Committee and its secretary general are both in exile. As for Kimia, she left Afghanistan and received safe passage into Australia in 2022 - a year after the Taliban returned to power. This is Kimia's third Olympic games and as she told AFP in July, "It's an honor to represent the girls of my homeland once again - girls and women who have been deprived of basic rights, including education... I represent the stolen dreams and aspirations of these women. Those who don't have the authority to make decisions as free human beings." No Taliban officials have been allowed involvement with the Paris Games, but that has not stopped them from denying the participation of the incredible women representing Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesperson was quoted by AFP as saying "Only three athletes are representing Afghanistan... Currently, in Afghanistan girls' sports have been stopped. When girls' sport isn't practiced, how can they go on the national team?" Join us in standing behind Kimia as she runs on August 2, and behind every woman and girl in Afghanistan who should have the right to find joy in sport.

As today’s celebrations kick off the first #GenderEqualOlympics in Paris, we’re thinking of all the women around the world who are unable to participate in their sport in 2024 - including those in Afghanistan who have been forbidden under Taliban rule, and those affected by war and conflict in so many places. While Iraq has an all-male team this year, we’ll be closely following the women representing the Refugee Team, Palestine, and Afghanistan (despite their denial by the Taliban). Coming up next week we’re excited to watch Nigara Shaheen represent the Refugee Team in Judo. Born in Afghanistan, Nigara took up judo when she was 11, living as a refugee in Peshawar, Pakistan, as practising martial arts was a family tradition. Since September 2022, she has been living in Canada, where she studies and trains. And in a few days sisters Fariba and Yuldoz Hashimi will be cycling for Afghanistan despite having to escape the country when the Taliban came to power. As Fariba told the BBC recently, “This belongs to Afghanistan women. I am going to the Olympics because of them.”

Last week we shared the news of our brand new program in Palestine, delivered in partnership with Palestine Sports for Life. We’ve been overwhelmed with all the messages of support and we are so grateful to the entire Free to Run community for your commitment to, and passion for, gender equity through running. So many people asked how they can contribute to this initiative, and the truth is that your financial support will make a crucial difference in the success of this work. Just imagine being a young girl, navigating the hardship of being an adolescent, with the added stress of war and displacement - not to mention the pressure of gender norms and family honor in a patriarchal society. How moving freely with a collective of young women - pushing your limits, taking big breaths, feeling your own progress and growth, could impact your wellbeing. That's what your generosity will make possible. ❤️❤️ If you’d like to be part of our efforts to build the resilience of 200 girls and young women in the occupied West Bank - to enable them to feel the positive power of running freely - you can do so by donating at freetorun.org/palestine.

Hands up in the comments if you can remember your first 5km race! ✋ The nerves, the anticipation, the utter despair when you've given it everything you have by the 1km marker and realize it's not over yet... or the joy of crossing the finish line with the cheers of a crowd. You may know that our year-long program in Iraq is split into two parts, and the end of June saw our teams celebrating the completion of their Learn to Run sessions with a series of 5km races. In Erbil, after approximately 25 minutes, cheers erupted as Lamia from the Baharka community stole the show, crossing the finish line first to a hero's welcome! In Duhok, the race was held at the Olympic stadium where the team brought incredible energy to the event, despite the scorching 40°C/104°F heat. Rawan from Sharya Camp crossed the finish line first, receiving a special trophy. “Yesterday, I couldn’t sleep because I was anxious about the race. I even had a dream where I failed to complete the required kilometers. But today, I feel ready and confident. I really enjoyed the experience” — KHAMLEEN “This race boosted my self-confidence and I’m excited to work hard to win in the upcoming races.” — SHAM Read more from the day and check out the photos/video on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gqg3-dPN

The next steps of Free to Run's journey are in Palestine. If you are moved by the situation for girls and young women and curious or want to do something...read on.

In Palestine, girls and women are not free to run. For over 50 years, Palestinians have had their fundamental human rights violated on a daily basis in an environment of violence, insecurity, inequality, and inhibition to their freedom of movement. But what would running offer an individual girl’s wellbeing? Could long strides, self-propulsion, big breath help her navigate the stress of war and displacement in addition to the hardship of just being an adolescent? How might a collective of girls and young women moving freely, shift gender norms in a patriarchal society? We know that running can’t change everything - but it can absolutely transform girls’ wellbeing and societies’ views of what is possible for girls and women. This month, Free to Run and Palestine Sports for Life are launching a joint program to build the resiliency of 200 adolescent girls and young women in Palestine through running. The year-long program will take place in 10 sites across the occupied West Bank - from Jenin to East Jerusalem. This work in Palestine is inspired by the same concept that fuels our work in Afghanistan and Iraq: our innate belief in the freedom and right of all people to move, to run, to experience joy, and to discover their highest potential. We welcome you to join us on this journey as we continue to grow our work in the places on earth where girls and young women need it most. ✨ Read more about this program on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gNCyRRXX

“I remember on our way to escape, there were many snipers, but luckily we didn't get shot and now I’m near to achieving my dreams. Free to Run was with me in my journey and impacted positively on my life.” - Almaz, a Free to Run Community Development Leader in Iraq June 20 is #WorldRefugeeDay, an international day designated by the United Nations to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. In 2024, one out of every 69 people on earth are now forcibly displaced, including 6.4 million people from Afghanistan. In Iraq, Free to Run supports young women who have been displaced, whether as refugees from another country or from within Iraq. To mark World Refugee Day our teams in each location got together to learn about and celebrate the achievements and incredible resilience of refugees. In Erbil, that included a hike in the mountains and listening to powerful and emotional personal stories from peers, with face paint to symbolize the day. “As an Asylum-seeker I didn’t have a chance to complete my education, so I felt unable and hopeless to learn, make friends, or go outdoors. With Free To Run I had a chance to gain life skills, make new friends, and enjoy nature by having adventures.” - Amal, a Free to Run participant and refugee living in Erbil, Iraq

Are you (or someone you know) running the NYC or Berlin Marathon this year? Free to Run will be at both races and we'd love to welcome folks to our team! Running with us gives you an invitation to our race weekend brunch, Free to Run gear, access to our team coaching calls and expert coach, the chance to connect with our global community of runners, and a behind-the-scenes view of our work in conflict areas. It's a chance to infuse meaning into your training, add a social element to your race, and take a stand for gender equity. Send an email to info@freetorun.org for more information and to see if it's for you - we'd love to see you there! 📷: Free to Run Berlin Marathon team members, Megan and Hanifa on a recent training run. Hanifa was also a previous participant of our program in Afghanistan. 🏃♀️🏃♀️

Today we're proud to share 2023 annual report, which looks back at Free to Run's impact and work last year. None of this would have been possible without the support of our global community so to every person who contributed, whether through fundraising, volunteering, donating, or raising awareness, you have our deepest gratitude! Find the link to the report in the comments.