75 years of al Nakba
Why we ride in 2023
Palestinian Ambassador supports The Big Ride
Last years ride. Let's do it again!
al Nakba
al Nakba or 'The Catastrophe' refers to the expulsion of around 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 when the state of Israel came into being. This will be our theme in 2023 in solidarity with our friends in Palestine and throughout the Palestinian diaspora.
Seventy five years ago marks the start of the ongoing Israeli colonisation and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. The year 2023 is significant not only as an anniversary of a historical atrocity, but as a painful milestone of the ongoing injustices and crimes against humanity in Palestine today. As the Big Ride turns its wheels towards Wales for the coming year, we pay homage to and amplify the voices of those struggling under 75 years of siege and colonisation. The struggle for justice and liberation in Palestine is entering a new chapter under an increasingly ultra-far-right Israeli regime. Here in the UK there is a surge in trade union consciousness and in support for working people's fight over pay and conditions. We Big Riders are steadfast in our commitment to solidarity with the liberation of Palestine as an intrinsic part of working people's struggles everywhere.
Disappearing Palestine
Image from Palestine Solidarity Campaign
We encourage riders to get involved in Nakba events organised by our supporting organisations. We will also be organising our own rides. See our newsletter for details.
The Big Ride 2023 - We did it!
300+ riders * 140 miles * 4 cities * 2 countries
Over 300 riders booked onto this years Big Ride for Palestine with 250 of us riding every day - even more on the ride round Bristol on Sunday!
What a ride and what a wonderful Welsh welcome we received in Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Wattsville followed by a fabulous finale ride around Bristol and a wind-down at the Palestine museum.
Special thanks to Elysium in Swansea and The Plough and Easton Cowgirls FC in Bristol for the evening solidarity events and of course to the Palestine Museum on Sunday.
The reception we received everywhere shows us how widely Palestine is supported and what potential there is for building the movement wherever we go.
Route - Swansea - Cardiff - Newport - Bristol
Thursday 3 August - Swansea to Cardiff
Swansea Civic Centre
Aberavon beach; Bryntirion Community Centre; Welsh St. Donats Village Hall
Cardiff, Cardiff City Hall
Friday 4 August - Cardiff to Newport
Cardiff - Cardiff City Hall
Caerphilly castle; Hengoed Community centre; Wattsville Clubhouse
Newport, Riverfront
Saturday 5 August - Newport to Bristol
Newport, Westgate Hotel
Undy Memorial Hall; Bulwark Centre, Chepstow; Almondsbury Creative
5.30 Arrival Bristol - Durdham Down
Sunday 6 August - Bristol circular ride
Colston Plinth; 15 mile figure of 8 ride round Bristol ; College Green
Wind down - Palestine Museum
Support our 2023 fundraisers!
Supporting Children in Refugee Camps in 2023
This year, The Big Ride for Palestine is dedicated to commemorating the ongoing Nakba and our fundraising campaign will support projects for children living in refugee camps. Our partner, the Middle East Children's Alliance, and the Shoruq Organization, one of the community centers they work with in a Palestinian refugee camp, created this original video "Vows to My Homeland." This video takes you on a trip with a Palestinian grandma, now living in a refugee camp in Gaza, back to her village that was ethnically cleansed 75 years ago.
Members of the Big Ride team have recently been to Palestine and visited one of 500+ destroyed villages from the 1948 Nakba like the one in the video. We were also privileged to meet our MECA partner and visit the Dheisheh refugee camp and Shoruq centre who produced the video. Many refugees fled to the Dheisheh camp which was originally intended to house 3,000. Now, 15,000 people live there including many children. As well as having limited opportunities, children in camps are subjected to the terror of frequent raids, leaving them traumatised. Shoruq have stated that in April alone 39 raids have taken place on West Bank refugee camps. Watch below to see an example of the shocking raids and their repercussions.
Para cycling in Gaza...and beyond
We are continuing our support for this intrepid paracycling team in Gaza again this year in collaboration with Amos Trust.
We're Back - Straight From Gaza
There are now three core Gaza Sunbirds training regularly and three more about to start. Other Sunbirds have been unable to continue, often due to medical issues resulting from amputation.
Their training stopped during attacks on Gaza for safety reasons and out of respect to those who have lost lives or were injured.
The Sunbirds now have partners for training on the road and in the gym, have dietary support (essential if they are to train as dietary issues are so pronounced in Gaza) and help with comms.
They are now registered with the UCI, allowing them to take part in international competitions. The biggest hurdle to this is getting suitable permissions to leave Gaza and the visas needed to enter other countries. Alaa the initial and leading cyclist was invited to attend a training camp in Switzerland via UCI, but the Swiss denied him permission to attend as they felt he would not go back afterwards.
The Sunbirds are currently working on getting to Italy, so they can train and take part in competitions. Permissions are again proving very difficult but they remain hopeful and continue to push on despite the challenging situation.
To set up your own fundraiser page for MECA or Gaza Sunbirds, see our FAQ's
Updates on MECA and Gaza Sunbirds projects from 2022
MECA
In winter 2022 The Big Ride for Palestine funded a unique sports, mental health, and leadership program for girls and women in Gaza. In January, the program kicked off with winter camps for 300 girls and 150 women in Gaza. They have cycled, played football, practiced yoga, attended workshops and organised volunteer days in the community to improve their mental
and physical health and develop their self-confidence. The winter camps are supported by The Big Ride for Palestine and two of the project locations are sports fields and cycling tracks also constructed with support from The Big Ride for Palestine.
Thank you cyclists for your support and solidarity!
Gaza Sunbirds
The last few months have been filled with exciting developments for the Gaza Sunbirds, who have received generous support from the international community. A major milestone is the team's partnership with the Palestinian Paralympic Union to provide training programs for para cyclists on the Gaza Strip.
Despite challenges, the team has set its sights on the international stage. They were accepted to attend an international training camp in Switzerland run by the UCI - but their visas were rejected, leaving no time for an appeal.
The team now has six riders and weekly training sessions. They have new equipment which allows them to train safely without prosthetics and have also secured a partnership with the biggest hospital in Gaza to provide support for athletes' medical conditions and prosthetic maintenance.
Solidarity with Palestine and The Big Ride
Raising Solidarity with Palestine In Unions & Organisations
We encourage riders and supporters to raise solidarity resolutions in their unions, community groups and party wards. The Big Ride resolution gives us the opportunity to raise the issue of Palestine with the organisations we are involved in as well as raising funds to support low income riders and help fund The Big Ride's expenses. Click here to download the resolution. Amend it as you need to and please let us know how you get on.
