Running Cities: Hundreds of Belarusians join the children's charity campaign

Running Cities, a large-scale charity campaign organized with the support of the Healthcare Ministry, started in Gomel Oblast on 23 July. It brought together professional athletes, running enthusiasts and other Belarusians from different parts of the country willing to help children with disabilities and regional medical rehabilitation centers. Residents of Gomel Oblast ran about 5,000 kilometers in seven days! The charity campaign continued in Brest on 1 August: hundreds of residents from across the region joined the event.

The main purpose of the Running Cities charity event is to support children with disabilities and to provide financial assistance to medical rehabilitation centers in all provincial capitals. The event is taking place for the third time. This year is the first time that the event is held across the regions of Belarus. Foreign nationals are also invited to take part in the project. To do that, one needs to use a smartphone or a mobile fitness app during the run and then upload their results in social networks.

Residents of Gomel Oblast were the first to join the project: about 500 people went out for the run that took place in Gomel on 25 July. Within a week after that, dozens of running enthusiasts shared their results in the internet. By the way, many had joined the race long before it started in this region; therefore, by the time it began they had already covered over 1,000km!  This way the participants of the campaign supported the Verasok rehabilitation center of Gomel Oblast that treats and provides rehabilitation services to children with mental disorders and respiratory diseases.

Brest joined the initiative on 1 August to support the Tomashovka children’s rehabilitation center. According to the rules, residents of the Belarusian western region will be able to make their contribution till 5 August. It is expected that other regions will join the initiative as well. Mogilev Oblast will pitch in on 6 August, Vitebsk Oblast on 13 August, Grodno Oblast on 20 August, and Minsk Oblast on 27 August. The results of the charity project will be reviewed on 4 September.

Running Cities charity campaign in pictures!