On the occasion of International Women's Day, the "Beirut Marathon" Association organized a running event in collaboration with UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, and UNICEF, with support from the Australian and Canadian governments. The race was held to appreciate the role of Lebanese women in leadership and to promote gender equality under the slogan: "Spaces for us to run" over a distance of 8 km in the city of Tripoli, between the municipal stadium and the Rashid Karamé International Exhibition Center, with the participation of 500 women and girls from all areas of Lebanon.
The head of the association, Mai Khalil, emphasized on this occasion that "this activity is not just for running but to affirm a more just society and to raise awareness and equality. We must persevere and make efforts to build this community and enable every woman to realize herself."
For his part, the Australian ambassador to Lebanon, Andrew Barnes, praised this initiative, stating, "Our country takes pride in supporting gender equality worldwide, and thus our support for empowering women in Lebanon to reclaim public spaces and run in the beautiful city of Tripoli."
Canadian Ambassador Stéphanie MacKinnon also delivered a speech in which she noted that her country is joining Australia and other countries in efforts "to demonstrate our commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering women to realize their rights in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030."
It is noteworthy that women from foreign embassies and the United Nations participated in this event, including triathlon champion Lindsey Nader, captain of the Lebanese U-16 national football team Haya Najad, and the United Nations Women’s Goodwill Ambassador in Lebanon, Joyce Azar.
