Support
It would be hard to conceive how the FTW rides would function without the help of hundreds of locals, from top government officials and First Ladies to grassroots NGOs. We are exceedingly grateful for everyone's selfless support.
We reciprocate our hosts acts of kindness with our acts of activism -- spreading the word of the region's conditions and issues and, for Americans, pressing the U.S. government to engage in the Middle East with a moral, legal and responsible policy.
Listed below are several of the primary sponsors, funders and partners of Follow the Women. However, many organizations whom we do not always know by name take care of us on each day of the event. If you know names of groups in these categories, contact us so that we may acknowledge their contributions.
To everyone in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, a big shukran! (Thank you in Arabic)
LEBANON
Bahia Hariri is from Sidon and was first elected to the Lebanese Parliament in 1992. She was reelected in 1996, 2000 and 2009. She has hosted the FTW teams in her home town of Sidon and in 2005 in her personal residence when she feared traveling outside its compound. Her brother, Rafik Hariri, was assassinated on February 14, 2005. He was a former prime minster of Lebanon but more popularly known for his generous financial contribution to the building and reconstruction of Lebanon after the civil war. See Harari Foundation (opens new window).
The Progressive Youth Organization (PYO) is a non-governmental organization founded in 1970. Lebanon is a country of diverse cultural and religious affiliations but PYO allows membership to anyone who upholds its principles. PYO has been our host since the very beginning of Follow the Women. During the rides PYO’s male and female members work crazy hours to make FTW teams feel at ease in their country. We are particularly thankful to the care and attention given by Ziad Nasr, Riyan, Hussam Harb, among other PYO members.
Beirut by Bike a/k/a the Club (opens new window) was founded in June 2002 to provide biking for Beirut’s residents as a healthy and environmental friendly life style. The Club provides top-quality bikes to rent at reasonable prices with free professional training. The Club was based at the Beirut Central District (BCD) and for its first four years operated in full cooperation with SOLIDERE, an organization established for the reconstruction of the city following the destruction during the civil war. After 2006, the Club relocated to Ain el Mraiseh facing the mosque. Biking is available in a car-free open space every Sunday from 8 am to 8 pm. Beirut by Bike is run by Jawad Sbeity and his team of mechanics who work tirelessly and gleefully for "the ladies," as he always calls us.
SYRIA
Madame Asma al-Assad is the First Lady of Syria whose family hails from Homs in northern Syria where FTW visited in 2009. Madame Assad (opens new window) is our most loyal and dedicated supporter. Without her patronage, FTW would not have begun nor have continued to exist over the years. She has always made herself accessible to us. In 2004, she met us at a pit stop. In 2005 and 2007 she biked at least 40 kilometers with us. She told one of the American team members that she mountain bikes at least 60 kilometers a week. In 2008 she held a small, private reception for us, gave a short speech and floated through the crowd chatting with each country's team. See the 9:39 minute video of the reception (opens in YouTube window).
MTM is the current name of Syria’s premier provider of communication services, including cell phones. MTM Group Ltd was previously known as 94 Spacetel and later as Areeba. Whatever its incarnation, the company has been the number one financial provider of the Follow the Women rides from 2004 and onward. MTM is Syrian based but international in outlook. They are one of the sponsors of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Back in 2004, before Fares Kallas joined the First Lady's office, as MTM's rep he worked tirelessly to ensure FTW ran smoothly and timely. Amer Kassar took over and continues to make each ride a successful operation.
JORDAN
Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah is of Palestinian descent and married King Abdullah in 1993 to became Queen of Jordan in 1999. Queen Rania's (opens new window) primary focus is on education. During the 2005 Ride she met with Follow the Women and biked a short distance with the Jordanian team. We have been honored by her patronage of the 2005, 2008 and 2009 rides. See Her Majesty's YouTube activism.
HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal is highly active (opens new window) in women’s and children’s issues in Jordan and internationally and has served in a variety of good will capacities at the United Nations. Her patronage of Follow the Women as early as 2003 served a critical role in enabling the first FTW ride to take root and flourish. Princess Basma extended her patronage on through the 2004 ride and she gave the keynote speech at the 2004 FTW Conference in Amman.
See Jordan List of Patrons, Partners, Sponsors and Supporters throughout the years.
PALESTINE
The Palestine Ministry of Youth and Sport has provided us accomodations and other assistance during our stay in Palestine. We are particularly delighted and impressed by the young Palestinian women's role in organizing our visit. They are eager and enthusiastic to show us their country. A monumental thank you is due Hala Khoury and Hassan for constantly explaining and educating our teams with what life is like in Occupied Palestine.
FTW's most successful project are the playgrounds that we fund and repair in Palestinian refugee camps. We could not succeed in the task but for our local partner Sharek Youth Forum. Operating throughout Palestine, Sharek's (opens new window) primary goal is to create space for youth to engage themselves as active participants in civil society and to play a role in the development of local communities. In this way Sharek identifies and serves the key needs and priorities of Palestinian youth.
Photo
Banner, Palestine police women by Karin Strauss, Austria
Photo Gallery Top Left Sabra Shatila refugee camp, Beirut
Top Center Banner with Detta Regan, by Kristina, Lithuania
Top Right Lebanese dancers by Selma Sevkli, Turkey --
Middle Left, Palestine
Middle Center, Marie of Sweden by Colleen McGuire, NY- Middle Right, Syria pit stop
Bottom Left Syrian boys by Colleen McGuire, New York
Bottom Center, Beirut By Bike
Bottom Right, Detta Regan with Governor of Madaba, Jordan by Martha Sara