Srinagar, May 15: In a grand welcome to the first ever historic G20 meet in Kashmir, a spectacular cyclothon titled “Pedal for Peace” was organised in Ganderbal by a social voluntary organisation “Voice for Peace and Justice.”
More than 500 athletes from across Kashmir Valley participated. The cycle race was held from Lar to Sher-i-Kashmir Park Manigam on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway Bypass passing through Sambal-Manigam areas of Ganderbal district. It was divided into three categories, including senior and junior men and open age category for women. Renowned cyclist Akbar Khan attended the opening and presentation ceremony as the chief guest who encouraged all participants and awarded cycles, trophies, cash prizes and certificates among the first, second and third positions in all the three categories.
Meanwhile, taking another step towards promoting sports, the organisers assured to provide athletes with better opportunities in the sports fields in the near future. ” The aim of organising this Cyclothon was actually to celebrate the arrival of foreign delegates associated with G20. This international event will significantly boost the local traditional art of handicraft, carpet and shawl weaving and enhance Kashmir’s tourism sector on global level which in turn will create new sources of employment in violence hit Kashmir,” Voice for Peace and Justice Patron, Farooq Ganderbali said.
With the arrival of G20 delegates in Kashmir for Y-20, the signs of the promotion of Kashmir’s traditional handicrafts and tourism sector at the global level have become prominent, the organisers said. “The youth want more employment resources to be created in Kashmir besides sports to be promoted and nurtured so that the Kashmiri youth would showcase their talents at the international level,” they added.