Political adversaries to run together for charity

The three political parties will put their differences aside and run together on Sunday week - to raise funds for Caritas and the United Nations' End Child Hunger campaign.

Nationalist Party general secretary Joe Saliba, Labour Party counterpart Jason Micallef and Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo are expected to don their running shoes for the third locally organised fun runs for World Run Day.

"At least once a year we should get together and raise awareness about people in need," Caritas director Victor Grech said during a press conference.

Although there did not seem to be much poverty here, he said, there was still a section of the population that was suffering.

He pointed out that people who are suffering are sometimes unlikely to ask for help, but rather continue to suffer in silence. Loneliness featured prominently in these people's lives.

"Some of them give up that their cry for help will ever be listened to," he said.

Mgr Grech expressed his hope that World Run Day - which was founded by running veteran Bill McDermott in 1999 - would increase awareness among people about those who are suffering.

Both Mr Micallef and Mr Saliba mentioned the importance of political parties taking part in such events.

This year World Run Day has partnered with the Fight Hunger initiative of the UN World Food Programme, which aims to end child hunger by 2015. Mgr Grech said 10 per cent of the funds collected in Malta will go towards the initiative.

The event, held in collaboration with athletics club Zurrieq Wolves, includes four fun runs - for under sevens, a 300-metre run for seven to 10-year-olds, a 600-metre run for 11 to 13-year-olds and a three-kilometre run for over 14-year-olds.

TV personality is-Sur Gawdenz Bilocca, a popular character with children, and his secretary Mary, as well as Mini and Griz, will be encouraging children to take part in the event.

A medal of participation and a Lm5 voucher from Teamsport will be given to every participant.

A number of prizes - including a Sony Personal PlayStation, a Fuji Finepix digital camera and phones from go mobile - will be raffled between entrants raising more than Lm5 each. A Dell computer, donated by Intercomp, will be awarded to the organisation raising the most funds.

Last year the prize went to Mosta Primary B, which raised more than Lm1,200.