Hundreds of runners, including the Palestinian Students’ Association at Carleton University, hit the pavement at Hog’s Back Park on Saturday to run in the 10th annual Ottawa Run for Palestine.
Lead organizer Habib Khoury said solidarity with the cause has been flourishing.
Khoury added the event was inspired by Huda Ghalia, who was 12 years old when her father was killed by an Israeli shelling on a Gaza beach in 2006.
“It is a growing movement,” he said. “We had our humble beginnings when we introduced things 10 years ago with a couple of hundred participants. This year, we have 800 participants registered with hundreds more showing up.”
Adnan Sheikh, the regional manager of Islamic Relief Canada, said he is passionate about the organization’s role in supporting the run for Palestine. All proceeds from the run went towards Islamic Relief Canada’s emergency services and humanitarian aid.
“Now more than ever, we have to be there for our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” Sheikh said.
People who ran 10 kilometres started things off, followed by those who ran five kilometres and finally runners going for two kilometres.
Cheers from friends and family members rang out along the course, including, “You are racing for change!”
Reflecting on the role students can play in the situation in Gaza, Carleton graduate student Olivia Belovich, who participated in the run, said involvement can be simple.
“A lot of people assume that as students, you need to donate a sum of money or spend your whole weekend rallying, but there are small ways to make a real impact,” she said.
Belovich said this can start with gatherings like the Run for Palestine.
“Coming to events for solidarity makes an impact.”
________________________________________________________________________
Featured image by Kathan Kapoor/the Charlatan.
