Lebanon

Beirut International Marathon (BIM)

Recognizing the importance of sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace, and given that sport is a key site for volunteer involvement and it is used to promote volunteerism, especially among youth whose participation is a strong predictor of volunteering in later life and since sport and physical education are tools contributing to the achievement of the MDGs; the UNV programme in Lebanon has been participating in the BIM since its launch as a main partner. Every year, the UNV programme mobilizes a big number of volunteers, from every part of the country regardless of their background, religion, gender and age. For 5 whole days prior to the race day, the volunteers raise awareness about the UN system in Lebanon and distribute the latest UN publications among the large public in the Marathon Village. On the race day they serve in the media center, on the start and finish lines and hold all water stations along the racetrack to offer and distribute drinks and food to all runners.

BIM 2005 – International Year of Sports and Physical Education

UNV intensively promoted volunteering for the BIM through e-mails, word-of-mouth, announcement in the major universities in Beirut to ensure the numbers of volunteers needed for the event. A considerable number of volunteers provided their support at the Marathon Village and on the race day. Some of them supported operations in the media center to ensure the full media coverage of the event -all of them wearing the light blue UN Volunteers T-shirt.

In the week preceding the race day (at BIEL, 8-12 November 2005), under the theme Cultures Mix and Match, the Marathon village took place where the volunteers mounted two attractive stands (UNV and UN agencies) displaying and distributing recent UN publications and raising awareness about the operating UN agencies in Lebanon. It was visited by thousands of runners who visited the village to pick up their running kits, by young people and local and regional media, visitors mixed and matched with different traditions and customs, whether Lebanese or international. Some of the volunteers supported the Beirut Marathon Association at the village, on rotating shifts, providing runners with their numbers and kits. On the race day, the volunteers met at 6:00 am in the start and finish areas to contribute to the success of the event. On the race day, the volunteers met at 6:00 am in the start and finish areas to contribute to the success of the event. The volunteers were also responsible, at the finish area, for guiding the Non-Palestinian refugees’ runners from UNHCR to reach their meeting point where they were transported by two UNIFIL buses.

BIM 2004

More than 300 volunteers assisted the organizers of the second Beirut International Marathon in many preparatory activities to make it a success. The marathon took place on 10 October 2004 with about 12,000 participants competing.
The volunteers were mobilized by the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV). At least 120 local and international United Nations staff members registered to run and compete in the marathon in a strong indication of their support for this prominent sport’s event.
That enthusiasm for the marathon reflected the strong conviction of the UN that sports can change peoples’ lives for the better, at the individual as well as at the community and national levels.
The volunteers set up a stand for the UN system and another one for UNV for the display and distribution of UN documents and material at the Beirut Marathon Village, which opened at the Martyrs Square between 05 October and 10 October 2004.
On Thursday, 07 October, a “UN evening” was organized at the Village to shed light on the UN’s participation in the event and its strong support for sports and volunteerism as being a means of promoting development and peace.

BIM 2003

The first Beirut International Marathon must be seen as more than a sportive event. It was hugely successful and took place amidst a festive atmosphere with the participation of more than 6,000 runners, and especially because of the enthusiastic participation and involvement of the United Nations through volunteers (mobilized by UNV progarmme), staff, peacekeepers and project beneficiaries.
To understand the UN involvement in the Beirut International Marathon, we have to take a step back to June 2003 when UNDP and the Beirut Marathon Association signed an agreement to promote participation, to encourage and support volunteering in the organization, and to jointly select and endorse for sponsorship seven humanitarian and human development projects, including three UN-supported projects (ILO, UNDP, UNFPA), related to the theme 'Youth and the Community' (UNDP also would provide oversight in implementation undertaken with any funds collected before the Marathon).
Following sensitization by UNDP and building up momentum towards the event, UN organizations, through their respective Staff Associations, decided to be involved in running the Marathon. A United Nations Team, formed of 63 staff members, saw UNIFIL, UNDP, UNHCR and ESCWA well represented - each runner with specially designed UN Team T-shirt 'Running for Peace and Development'- and more than 300 working children beneficiaries of an ILO-supported rehabilitation programme.
In the week preceding the run, UN organizations, including the UNV, mounted at the Marathon Village an attractive exhibit on Youth and Healthy Living for the Millennium Development Goals. It was visited by hundreds of runners, young people and local and regional media.
UNV intensively promoted volunteering through meetings, word-of-mouth and UN websites to ensure the hundreds of volunteers needed for the event. More than 200 youth from South Lebanon (UNDP project beneficiaries) provided logistical support on Marathon Day and 35 UN staff volunteered to support operations in the media center to ensure the full media coverage of the event -all of them wearing the UN Volunteers T-shirt.