Gaza Solidarity 5K Run Announced

Mark your calendars because the date has been set for the second annual Gaza Solidarity 5K walk/run. June 8, 2013 has been announced by the American Friends of  the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC for a morning of running, walking, food, fun, and community: all in support of the children of Gaza.

American Friends of UNRWA (AFU) is an independent non-profit organization that provides support for the humanitarian work of the UNRWA through advocacy, fundraising and education. AFU aims to educate the general American public about the situation of the Palestine refugees and generate support for UNRWA’s programmes in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

This year, over 300 runners and walkers joined American Friends of UNRWA and Kinder USA on June 9th, 2012 in Washington, DC for the first annual Gaza Solidarity 5K.  The first annual Gaza Solidarity 5K raised over $50,000 for UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Program, providing summertime counseling to 1,200 children in Gaza.

The blockade on Gaza has entered its sixth year with no end in sight, and a recent UN report predicts that, if trends continue, Gaza will be unlivable by 2020.The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has been blamed for a multitude of problems facing the population there: malnutrition, unemployment, limited access to electricity, exorbitant cost of books, and potable water. According to the AFU, "the children of Gaza need support now more than ever."

Early Bird Registration is now open, community members interested in early registration can use the promo code “Gaza2013” to save $5 on registration.

Source: UNRWA