Activism can take on many forms. One could march, sit-in, walk out, hold a vigil, hold a rally, sign petitions, call for a boycott, or even strike. This one particular environmentalist, however, tried a novel strategy to make his voice heard: running a marathon.
In the wake of the COP28, or United Nations Climate Change Conference, Aakash Nambiar used the opportunity to educate people about climate change and the five years we have left to limit global warming to 1.5°C, and he did it in the best way he knew how, by running barefoot.
Early in the morning on December 23, Nambiar began his journey from the Love Lake in Al Qudra and passed through different landmarks in Dubai like the Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, La Mer Beach, the Ethiad Museum, and the Burj Khalifa.
At each stop along the way, he would engage with the locals to discuss ways they could lessen the effects of climate change.
Nambiar: ‘We are running out of time.”
The Indian activist and marathon runner completed a run that lasted roughly 17 hours and 20 minutes, covering 104 kilometers in total, according to the Khaleej Times.
He also posted about his journey on his Instagram, writing, “I wanted to address the issue of climate challenge and bring some awareness to common people and the best medium for me is through running to tell WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME to act.”
Speaking to Khaleej Times, the 34-year-old Nambiar said that he planned the marathon after COP28 to take forward the message of reducing emissions and saving this planet for our generations. He claimed he was attempting to share the leadership’s message from the United Arab Emirates, India, and other heads of state who contributed to the success of the UN Climate Conference.
Nambiar also mentioned how wonderful it felt to run in the streets, meet new people, and share his message of environmental conservation.
In reference to the path itself, Nambiar reported that, in spite of the afternoon heat, the route he took was relatively level and the weather was tolerable. He also shared that at Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, and La Mer Beach, there was one full stretch when people joined his run.
Cover Photo: IG