By Azania Post Reporter
More than 300local women and men, girls and boys are expected to participate in the race ZANZI HALF scheduled February 4th, 2018 in Stone Town
ZANZI HALF is an international standard sporting and cultural event featuring a half marathon 10 km and 5 km to be staged for the first time in the East African archipelago of Zanzibar highlighting women´s empowerment and gender equality.
The race is a response to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development with a call out for action in the world, and is organized by the local interfaith women´s program Upendo Means Love and the Danish NGO and running community Right to Movement in collaboration with ZIFF, Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) and Zanzibar Amateur Athletic Association (ZAAA).
Women and girls are at the very heart of the agenda in an acknowledgement that their participation is crucial as a pre-condition for the achievement of sustainable development, said one of the organizer,Ms Lotte Bredholt.
She said the race will bring together women and men from the grass root level united in a movement that will translate into further action, transforming gender norms by challenging existing traditional roles, taboo and break down stereotypes showing women and girls as active agents of change and peace.
However, sustainability and equality is only achievable if women and men work together.
“Running is empowering” continues Bredholt, “when women and girls realize their potential and strength on the track and on the streets, there is a spillover effect to other areas of life”.
Bredholt said besides the race event, ZANZI HALF encourages local society, rural and urban, to take up running and to be part of a running community.
In the meeting between people, sharing experience and passion for a common activity, socio cultural, religious and gender barriers diminish.
“It´s a commitment to enhance diversity and inclusion, and is part of the global agenda for sustainable development”.
Fumba Town Development, a project by CPS (FTD),is sponsoring the event as part of their support for socio-economic development in Zanzibar.