March - April 2006

Follow The Women

A Bicycle Ride for Peace

By Rhonda Wittorf

On February 6 in Manhattan Colleen McGuire— lawyer, cyclist, and peace activist—talked about a unique bicycle ride.

McGuire said that upon first hearing about “Follow the Women: A Bicycle Ride for Peace” she knew she would participate. The ride, brainchild of British activist Detta Regan, combines three of McGuire’s passions: feminism, cycling, and the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. McGuire has helped coordinate the event with Regan as a means of inspiring women to contribute their voices to the peace process.

On the inaugural April 2004 ride, female cyclists pedaled through Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Nearly 200 women participated in September 2005, with most riders coming from Europe and handfuls of Palestinian, Arab, and American women. In addition to riding to the above countries, the group also rode to Palestine, into the West Bank.

Traveling through war zones, the ride aims to raise international awareness of the impact of violence in the Middle East particularly on the lives of women and children, as well as promote understanding of how violence in that region affects people everywhere. One goal of the ride is to inspire and empower participants to take active roles in peace-making. Another goal was to promote the bicycle as the ultimate vehicle of peace, using no fossil fuels and promoting freedom of movement.

The objective was to bring women together from many cultures, creating a common learning experience and fostering mutual understanding. The ride attracted media attention, but to McGuire’s chagrin was not covered by American media outlets.

McGuire hopes more Americans will participate in the April 2007 ride. She said Americans need to be more aware of how U.S. foreign policy affects the Middle East. She emphasized that the ride is not a “peace tourism junket,” but that it is intended for women who are committed to realizing peace in the Middle East who will return home and inspire others to be involved in grassroots efforts to find resolution to these conflicts.

Anyone interested in the 10-day April 2007 trip should email McGuire at colleenmcguire2003@yahoo.com. There is a $150 EURO registration fee that covers food, lodging, transportation (some bus trips), and visa costs for countries visited. Participants pay their own airfare and bring/rent a bicycle. Their website www.followthewomen.com has not been updated.

Incidentally, the closest Arabic translation for the title of the ride is “Chase the Women.”

Photo: Flore-Ael Surum