Nairobi, 21 February
2011 - Edward Norton, UN Goodwill Ambassador
and actor, today flagged off 11 cyclists
from the headquarters of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.
The riders are embarking on a transformative
journey to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
that will highlight the role of youth in
sustainable development.
The ride is the first
leg of a three-week campaign by globalbike
and the Kilimanjaro Initiative (KI) to bring
to light the transformative power of bikes,
and the important role that sports can play
in promoting sustainable, healthy, and safe
communities. Activities as part of this
campaign include a giveaway of 114 bicycles
to youth and youth mentors in Kenya and
Tanzania, a 400-kilometer bike ride from
Kenya to Tanzania which ends with an ascent
to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mr. Norton presented
two locally-sourced bikes to members of
local community groups at today's flag-off.
Along the bike route 11 members from both
organizations will camp in villages where
they will distribute bikes to local youth.
"We have seen through our projects
and events in the United States, Africa
and South America how bikes can give support
and momentum to a person's life. It is as
enriching for them as it is enriching for
us," said Curt McPhail, the co-founder
of globalbike, inc. "KI is an organization
that feels the same way about youth and
sport and we are very excited about the
synergy we are developing together."
After the bike ride,
the cyclists will be joined by 25 climbers
- 10 of whom are youth from Kenya and Tanzania,
who will also receive bikes - and together
they will make their way by foot to the
"rooftop of Africa" at 5,895 meters.
"Many of the youth groups KI works
with in the slums of Nairobi, have the environment
as a main focus of their activities. Disenfranchised
youth use garbage-collection and recycling
as a form of income-generation," said
Tim Challen, founder of KI.
"These young women
and men epitomize the word 'hope' in an
environment that appears unpromising. The
theme of this year's climb, and the events
that surround it, draw inspiration from
their daily struggles, finding ways to support
the aspirations of youth and to help raise
awareness about the need for all of us to
take care of our environment, communities
and each other," he added.
KI and globalbike have
organized substantive activities and workshops
throughout the trip in partnership with
private and public partners, at an international
and local level. Recognizing the important
contribution that is being made by civil
society players, such as KI and globalbike,
Hein Verbruggen, President of SportAccord,
the umbrella organization for all international
sports federations and the former president
of the International Cycling Union (UCI),
has added his support as well.
"By using sport
to raise awareness and mobilize local Kenyan
and Tanzanian communities around the importance
of environmental protection and sustainability,
we are also introducing the international
sports community to enhanced opportunities
to expand the practice of their sports.
The 2011 initiative is beyond pure sports
development, it is community development
through sports that can, in turn, change
lives," said Mr. Verbruggen
The Kilimanjaro Initiative
2011 campaign website is at www.rideclimbtransform.org.
The site includes additional information
about the trip, as well as an ongoing trip
blog and follow-along map.
As the UN Goodwill Ambassador
for Biodiversity, Mr. Norton later opened
the 26th Session of the UNEP Governing Council/
Global Ministerial Environment Forum, where
140 environment ministers are gathering
for four days in Nairobi, to guide UNEP
in its work in addressing the world's pressing
environmental challenges.
About the Kilimanjaro
Initiative
KI, a Kenyan-based non-profit
NGO, was founded in 2005 by Tim Challen,
a British citizen who works for the United
Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU), after
he was shot during an armed robbery at his
rented accommodation in Nairobi. Mr. Challen
felt that he could either return home to
Switzerland and attempt to forget about
the traumatic experience or try to understand
the social issues that may lead at-risk
youth into criminal activities. He returned
to the place where he was attacked, with
the objective to encourage youth to have
self-belief and to help provide opportunities
that will enable young women and men to
take on constructive roles in their communities.
Since 2006, KI has brought more than 150
individuals, including youth from disenfranchised
communities, world-class athletes, musicians,
and representatives of the private and public
sectors to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
at 5,895m. As well as raising awareness
about issues that affect young women and
men, KI supports youth enterprise schemes
in East Africa and has upgraded a sports
field in Kibera, Nairobi. More information
at: www.kilimanjaroinitiative.or.ke
About globalbike, inc.
globalbike, inc. is
a US-based non-profit NGO that emphasizes
the need for sustainable transport and development,
by focusing on the transformative power
of bikes to create positive social change.
globalbike will distribute over 114 bikes
and carts to youth groups in Kenya and Tanzania
before, during and after the ride and climb.
globalbike has over 12 project sites in
7 countries throughout Africa and South
America. More information at: www.globalbike.org
About the Ride
As a curtain raiser
for the bike ride to Mount Kilimanjaro,
globalbike and KI will hand-out 68 bikes
to youth groups and NGOs in Nairobi. An
additional 46 bikes will be donated to youth
groups and NGOs in Kenya and Tanzania during
the campaign. Carts, made out of recycled
material, will also be distributed to help
youth groups with their income generating
activities. As the group rides from village
to village, KI and globalbike will lead
activities and workshops emphasizing the
importance of environmental protection and
sustainability within local communities
in both Kenya and Tanzania. The activities
include tree planting (as a way of offsetting
the events' carbon footprint), educational
instruction regarding water and sanitation
access, promotion of sustainable transportation,
and demonstrating that sustainable innovation
and practice makes good business sense.
In Tanzania, KI and globalbike cyclists
will be joined by members of the Arusha
Cycling Team, who have organized in their
home city a large roadside cleanup activity
with local schools and businesses.
When: 21-26 February
2011
Who: Tim Challen, Sonia
Cruickshank, Sadique Bilal and Philip Martindale
of KI; Jean Crow Crowther, Kelly Lowry,
Curt McPhail, Carroll Foster and Joe Crowther
of globalbike, inc.; and Simon Bennett and
Josh Whitmore, two professional cyclists
on Team Globalbike.
About the Climb
In Marangu, Tanzania,
as a continuation of the efforts made to
raise awareness about the importance of
sustainable development, the cyclists will
meet up with 25 climbers, including 10 young
women and men from disenfranchised communities
in Kenya and Tanzania, and representatives
of the private and public sector. One of
the climbers will be Pavan Sukhdev, Head
of the United Nations Environment Program's
Green Economy Initiative and Study Leader
of the G8+5 commissioned report on The Economics
of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. With 2011
declared by the United Nations as the International
Year of Forests and with the Rio+20 Conference
on the horizon, this year's KI ascent aims
to raise awareness of the need to ensure
the sustainable management, conservation
and development of the local environment
for the benefit of current and future generations.
When: 28 February-4
March 2011
Who: 36 climbers including
10 youth, 26 Representatives of the Public
and Private Sector. The climbers will be
accompanied by 17 Guides, 2 Cooks and up
to 55 Porters.
The Supporting Partners
Arusha Cycling Club,
Basecamp, Beyond Sport, Bonk Breakers, Catoma
Adventure Shelters, Contec, Cycle Land Limited,
Diamond Brand, Duorop Cycle Farm, Int. Golf
Club in Geneva, Kenya China Travel &
Tours Ltd., private contributions, Sierra
Designs, Singing for Change Foundation,
The Spartanburg Day School, Trilium Assett
Management, Vittoria Industries, UNFCU.
Additional expertise provide by SportAccord,
UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace,
UNEP, UN-HABITAT, Water Supply and Sanitation
Collaborative Council, and York University.
