At around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday a women’s marathon entitled “Run Forward Enough Going Backwards” set off from central Beirut.
The event was organized by the Beirut Marathon Association, with sponsorship from Lebanon’s First Lady Wafaa Suleiman.
Change and Reform bloc MP Ghassan Moukheiber also participated in the event as well as a number of artists, actors and civil society organizations.
At 9:00 a.m. First Lady Suleiman gave the signal to start the five-kilometer race.
“Today we feel enthusiasm and pride for the Lebanese women who have participated in this marathon and carried a message affirming sports’ place in civilization,” She told media outlets on Sunday.
“The large participation of women in this race also carries a message: it affirms their presence, self [determination] and rights.”
“The race also raises awareness about exercise. Exercise is a part of the lives of all individuals in our society, especially women, who bear large responsibilities alongside the growing pressures of life and the non-domestic role they play in the workplace.”
She also thanked Beirut Marathon Association and its founder May El-Khalil, saying she hoped “that Lebanon would remain a center for these kinds of activities.”
