Photos of Mario Burzio loan from the Yasuní ITT: Barizo mono payaso; colibrí Triquilidae; orquidea Huntleva lucida.
Photo: Patricio Terán, El Comercio:
The 21x24 Challenge achieves its goal after two years.
This
Saturday, September 8 we will mark the last 21 kilometers of a challenge that
was born in 2010, with a Cause: to protect the Yasuní.
We were unable
to open registrations for this route because the National Park admission is
limited.
22 runners will be present after following a process which includes:
vaccinations, some documents, authorization from the Ministry of Environment
and Repsol, and confirmation of their interest and ability to run the required
distance.
The runners
of the 21x24Challenge hope their efforts permeate the minds of hundreds of
Ecuadorians. They will start to be concerned about oil exploitation into a unique and
wonderful park, which is their property. This concern will spread like a virus
and will awaken the conscience of public opinion towards Yasuní conservation.
The 21x24Challenge
was born to change ignorance and indifference, towards knowledge and defense of
this invaluable territory.
Have they
succeeded?
The effort
was worth it. Running 21 kilometers in every province of Ecuador has been
risky, difficult, courageous, but also satisfactory, thanks to fellow runners in
each place, its landscapes and trails suitable for athletic sport.
Fighting
for a Cause like the conservation of a globally recognized ecological treasure,
that guards the balance of life for future generations, is an important goal.
This is just the beginning. There will be more challenges, more jogging, more
lectures and activism efforts.
Resistance is
a lot stronger now!
INFORMATION:
MEETING
POINT: Yasuni Research Station, PUCE
TIME: 6:00
am
Race Start -
TIME: 7:00 am: km 21 Maxxus road, Yasuni National Park
Arrival:
Pompeya, Orellana
About the route:
1. Yasuní or
"Holy Land", is a world biosphere reserve and has the highest
biodiversity on the planet.
2. It is a
tropical rainforest, a jungle of 982,000 hectares. It is located 250km
southeast of Quito.
3. This
last route of 21x24 Challenge is going to be run at the Maxxus road, within the
Yasuní National Park.
4. The
route is mostly flat. The km 21, where the challenge starts, is located in
Kichwa territory. Runners are directed from there to Pompeya where the race
ends.
5. Height:
300 to 500 meters. Temperature: 22 to 26 °C in the morning.
6. Climate
zone: humid tropical forest
TRIPLE BORDER LINE, FULL OF CONFLICT
Oil exploitation is among other problems in
this conflicted area: large-scale river
transportation, mining, deforestation, species trafficking, overfishing,
pollution by garbage, political conflicts, drug trafficking, colonization, rights
of indigenous non being respected, countless complaints and deceptions towards
and from the communities, lack of interest from state institutions... and in the middle of this situation, innocent
and confused people: Kichwa, Waorani, Tagaeri, Taromenanis, and hundreds of
thousands of endangered species that support the global ecosystem.
SPONSORS:
Banco Solidario www.banco-solidario.com
Vivant www.azende.com
Alamo www.segurosalamo.com
Amazonia por la vida www.amazoniaporlavida.org
WE RUN FOR A CAUSE:
TO PROTECT LIFE IN THE YASUNI
NATIONAL PARK
ONE OF THE LAST ECOLOGICAL RESERVES
IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST BIODIVERSE
