This Sunday 29th March we are holding a Brisbane edition of ‘The Great Ride of Return’ which is in support of the Gaza Sunbirds, a para-cycling team in the Gaza Strip who since October 2023 has directed all its resources to providing community-led aid to Gaza. To date, the Gaza Sunbirds have distributed over $520,000 USD worth of aid.
On Sunday, riders across cities worldwide are going to take to the streets in solidarity with the Palestinian people. On this day cyclists will ride in parallel with the flotillas to Gaza, bringing visible, peaceful solidarity to the streets while action unfolds at sea.
The following day, March 30th marks Land Day, and eight years since Gaza Sunbirds co-founder and team captain Alaa Al Dali lost his leg after being shot by an Israeli sniper during the Great March of Return. Since then, the number of Palestinians living with limb loss has grown dramatically, with tens of thousands more injured in the ongoing genocide. By riding through your city, you join a shared action by land and by sea, calling for an end to the genocide, an end to the occupation, and justice and freedom of movement for Palestinians.
THE BRISBANE GREAT RIDE OF RETURN: DETAILS
We’ll be riding a 24 km half River loop, riding at an easy pace so all can participate. We will start from John Walker Place on the Brisbane Corso. We will gather at 7.30 am and head shortly after, with the aim of arriving back by 9.30 am. Here is a link to the route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3463889918642998932
Following this we will be holding a Children’s Ride entirely on bikeways through Leyshon Park across to Hyde Road and return. We will start shortly after the riders return from the river loop, around 10 am. We encourage parents to ride with their children if possible. There will be rewards for all the participants. Here is a link to the route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3472121330724419400
The weather is predicted to be fine and warm, so please make sure you bring a water bottle and sunscreen. There will be places to fill your bottle along the route.
LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE ATTENDING
For people who wish to donate to the Gaza Sunbirds, please visit their website.
To download the poster either as a jpg or a pdf, please visit: HERE
We’re holding the ride early in the day to avoid the heat and allow for participants to also join the Palm Sunday Rally for Peace and Justice being held later in the afternoon, which we encourage all participants and supporters to attend.
If you have any enquiries please call either Ian on 0407 687 016 or Lachlan on 0417 231 895
Free Palestine!
Lachlan and Ian
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Lachlan Hurse and Ian Curr
The Big Ride for Palestine-Australia
Thebigrideaustralia@outlook.com
bigrideaustralia@gmail.com
