Running Out of Time
In the fall of 2022, World Relay Ltd, in cooperation with the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE) and Carbon Copy, and with the support of UNESCO, organised the longest non-stop relay ever attempted in the name of climate action. Runners, cyclists, sailors and rowers collaborated to deliver a powerful message about the importance of quality environmental education to the world leaders at COP27. The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature coordinated the relay in Greece.
The baton / The message
The baton, designed by the awarded Scottish agency 4c Design and made of recyclable materials, served as a unique symbol of the power of unity and cooperation. A special container held the message, which was delivered to the Secretariat of COP27 accompanied by more than 800.000 supporting signatures:
Read the message Here
The Route
The relay set off from Scotland, Glasgow, host city of COP26, and covered a total of 7,767km through 18 countries: Scotland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt. Along the route, the baton crossed seas, mountain ranges, glaciers,
and deserts, villages, towns and capital cities. It visited hundreds of schools, at-risk locations and climate change projects to inspire and champion local climate action.
The Relay in Greece
The route in Greece commenced at the Megali Prespa Lake and covered 755 km through Kastoria, Ptolemaida, Veroia, Katerini, Platamonas, Larissa, Lamia, Kamena Vourla, Thiva, Afidnes, the Marathon Dam and Marathon. It then followed the official Marathon Route towards the Akropolis, and thence to the Flisvos Marina in Faliro, from where the baton
sailed to Cyprus.
Central government entities, the regional governments and municipalities, the educational community, businesses, non-governmental organizations, the Hellenic Police, the Fire Department, national sports associations and clubs, the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Olympic medalists and athletes and members of the society, actively supported the event. Through the collaborative effort of the participants and our supporters and sponsors, we managed to establish Greece as one of the most important parts of this global initiative.
School projects
Hundreds of pupils and their teachers gathered along the relay route to cheer the runners. Their signs about Climate Change, their singing, parading and cheering added an amazing atmosphere to the relay.
On November 3, 776,611 pupils from 2,203 schools in 105 countries came together during the Global Schools Action Day, an exciting virtual project-based learning programme, which was realized with the support of UNESCO.
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Newsletter Running Out of Time 10/10/22
