Clough Runner in Bethlehem Marathon
Áine Hutchinson of the 'Cloughjordan to Palestine' group is going to run the Bethlehem Marathon to highlight the persecution of Palestinian people.
The marathon will take place on April 1st and Áine is self-funding her entry. She hopes to raise funds for Trócaire's work in Palestine, with a target of €5,000.
Formed in 2014, the Cloughjordan to Palestine group are very passionate about their reasons for supporting this and Áine feels strongly that we must reach out and act. “Everyone wants peace for their families and community, and in joining the marathon on April 1st, I am saying we have not forgotten that the human rights of Palestinian children and their parents continue to be denied,” she said.
“This simple, peaceful act of solidarity and resistance, progresses through the streets of Bethlehem along the apartheid wall, and two of the refugee camps. Every mile run is a reminder of how those families face huge challenges of clean water, safe schools, electricity, sufficient food, freedom to play, run and live.
“I am so grateful that in my life I have the freedom to run, and on the beautiful roads of Cloughjordan. I want the same for those who do not have that same basic human right. While this is phenomenally tough training, no ache or exhaustion I feel is comparable to the daily endurance that faces Palestinian families.”
This is the fourth year of the Bethlehem Marathon and it will see over 20 runners from Ireland participating, with nearly 1,000 international entrants so far. All funds raised go to the work Trócaire does with so many families impacted by the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Trócaire supports those affected by conflict and human rights violations, as well as helping to raise international awareness around the injustice of human rights violations.
This is an opportunity to ask why Áine, the entrants and the people of Bethlehem cannot run a single 26mile circuit, and instead have to run the same route four times. And to ask how we can engage our politicians, businesses and companies in accountability in how they conduct their relationships with any countries that violate the human rights of others. Thinking, talking and questioning is free, and leads to resolutions and change.
How this change can happen will be explored with Emmet Sheerin from Trócaire at the Thomas MacDonagh Centre in Cloughjordan on Wednesday March 23 has firsthand experience of the West Bank, will speak about the current situation in Palestine, Trócaire's work there, and will show his 2015 Palestine video for the first time. All donations welcomed.
There are many other events planned over the coming weeks – coffee morning, cake sale, soup lunch, haircuts for donations, music night, to name a few. Details will be in the 'Down your Way' Cloughjordan news section of the Nenagh Guardian, so keep an eye out for those.
Alternatively, you can donate using a specially set up JustGiving page, which is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to Trócaire. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Visit: http://www.justgiving.com/cloughjordantopalestine/ and http://palestinemarathon.com/about/whywedoit/ for more information.