The “Downtown Cairo Geneva Run”, an event organised through the cooperation of the Cairo governorate, Cairo Runners, and the Embassy of Switzerland, took place on 2 December and witnessed thousands of participants join in to hit the pavement of Cairo’s downtown streets.
The 4km run began at 7am at Abdeen Square, and winded through the streets guided by the historical buildings of downtown Cairo. It ended at the Embassy of Switzerland’s Office for International Cooperation located in Garden City.
Switzerland’s ambassador to Egypt Markus Leitner: “The Geneva run in Cairo represents a great opportunity to bring together Switzerland and Egypt through sports, health, and tradition. The event underlines the close relations between the two countries, and provides positive news about tourism in Egypt.”
The event was sponsored by the Swiss company Nestle, and the company Hero offered breakfast for all participants at the end of the run. Other partners included the Swiss International Airlines, LafargeHolcim, and UBS.
The idea behind this event mirrors Geneva’s most popular sporting event, which is a race called “Course De L’Escalade” that is celebrated every year during the first week of December.
L’Escalade commemorates an event which took place in December 1602 in Geneva, when it was attacked by soldiers from Savoy. A fierce battle broke out, but the people of Geneva defended their town and achieved victory. As part of the annual L’Escalade celebrations, the race takes place in Geneva’s old town.
Photos courtesy of Embassy of Switzerland to Egypt
