Runners in grueling marathon persevere, as do Sahrawis
Each year, runners brave the harsh conditions of the Sahara Marathon to benefit and show solidarity with the Sahrawi people.
TINDOUF, Algeria — The effort to resolve the Sahrawi people’s struggle in Western Sahara has been a marathon, not a sprint. So perhaps it’s fitting that an annual endurance run is a symbol of the decadeslong Sahrawi trek seeking independence.
Many Sahrawis — the indigenous people of Morocco-controlled Western Sahara — now live in Algerian refugee camps. The Sahara Marathon offers them a unique opportunity to expose their plight to a diverse public.
On Feb. 28, more than 450 runners came to the Algerian Sahara to run the unusual marathon, which takes place in one of the harshest climates on Earth: la Hamada. Participants met the Sahrawis, who have lived in exile for more than 40 years.
This unique encounter helps people from very different backgrounds learn a bit about each other. Because of the lack of hotels and other infrastructure, the desert marathon is a rare occasion for refugees to host and share the little they have with guests in their tent homes where each Sahrawi family has a story to tell.
