Thank you all for your incredible support and encouragement these past couple of weeks - it has been overwhelming and very much appreciated by our entire team. We have been working around the clock to find options to get our Free to Run team members to safety. After more than 15 years of working in human rights, I can say that this has been one of the most heart-wrenching, frustrating and yet uplifting weeks I have ever experienced.

The Free to Run team has been through many races, but none like this. We need your support because we’re racing against the clock. Our small but extremely dedicated team in the US, UK and Europe is now working 24/7 on the safety and security of our Afghan staff and their families. As a US-based organization, delivering sports and educational programs for Afghan women and girls, there are obvious reasons to be concerned.

You will have seen in the news that the security situation across the country has deteriorated significantly over the past few days and weeks with the Taliban making sweeping territorial gains across the country. Operating in Afghanistan over the last seven years has never been easy, but the current situation brings new and immense challenges. We do not believe, however, that they will be insurmountable. We are not giving up.

Free to Run is looking to grow our team! We are proud and excited to announce the launch of our new Ambassador program! We are searching for passionate individuals who love the outdoors and believe in the power of sport as a driver for positive change and equality. Whether you are a runner or a walker, a skier or a mountain biker, a professional or a weekend warrior, we love all types of athletes!

Free to Run is proud to be an official charity partner for the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world. Through our partnership, we have guaranteed, paid entries for any runner who wants to run the marathon and are willing to fundraise for Free to Run. This year will be even more special as it’s the 50th running of this iconic race.

On March 8th people around the world are coming together to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). It’s a day where we recognize the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s also a day where we raise awareness about women's equality, and look for ways to accelerate gender parity. The campaign theme for International Women's Day 2021 is Choose to Challenge.

Free to Run is incredibly proud to share that our President and Founder Stephanie Case is a 2020 recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division), on behalf of the Governor General of Canada’s office!

We were recognized for our work in promoting peace and social justice across divides in Afghanistan and Iraq through sport, and for developing female leaders as a force for change to bring people together across cultural, ethnic, and religious lines.

COVID-19 has deeply affected all of us. As Europe and North America are slowly starting to emerge from the crisis, in other parts of the world, particularly those suffering from ongoing conflict or the aftermath of fighting, we have yet to see the full effects of the pandemic. We wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with an update on the current situation in the regions where we operate, and an update on our programs.

This past February, Free to Run organized it’s 4th annual Inter-Regional Winter Sports & Leadership Week for 19 participants from our Western Afghanistan, Northern Afghanistan, Southern Afghanistan, and Kabul programs to join our Central Highlands program to try out skiing, ice skating, and other winter sports.

For many runners, the New York City Marathon is at the top of the bucket list. This year, it is going to be an extra special affair. 2020 marks the 50th running of the New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world.

Happy New Year to everyone in the Free to Run community - runners, adventurers, and dreamers alike!

The people on the sides of the road cheering each one of the runners was extraordinary. It was beautiful how warmly the people encouraged you and gave you energy during the whole race, how respectfully volunteers would treat you and offer you water and nutrition. In Afghanistan, we do not have as many supporters.

Would you like to run 13.1 miles from Brooklyn to Central Park, and support an amazing cause? Be part of Team Free to Run in March 2020, and run the NYRR United Airlines NYC Half Marathon! We are proud to be an official charity partner and through our partnership with New York Road Runners, we have guaranteed paid entries for a team of runners who are willing to run the half marathon and fundraise for Free to Run. 

This October, 18 Free to Run participants participated in their first-ever hiking and camping expedition this month to Bradost Mountain, located northeast of Erbil in the Zagros Mountains. They camped out under the stars and hiked to Bradost Peak at 2060 meters. 

In July 2019, Free to Run hosted our very first Paralympic Races. Over three days, 18 Paralympic team members traveled from three different provinces to compete in 200 meter, 400 meter, and 800 meter relay races. For 10 of the participants, it was their very first trip to a different province.

In August 2019, Free to Run took 10 participants from across Afghanistan on their first every hiking and camping expedition to the Wakhan Corridor. Over the course of 3 days, the team conquered over 36 kilometers and reached heights of 4,300 meters. For all of them, it was their first experience camping.

When you’re working in regions of conflict, does a logo really make a difference? Back in 2014, we were lucky enough to have an agency partner who gave us a great logo to get started, at no cost. It was clean, workable and we could focus on the many opportunities and challenges that were far more important in those early days. But like an old pair of running shoes, one day we woke up and the brand simply didn’t fit anymore.

In April, Free to Run hosted its first ever Disability & Women’s Rights Symposium over two days in Kabul. The symposium was attended by 70 guests who all work in the fields of disability and women’s rights. Participants ranked the symposium at an 8 out of 10. “In this event, I learned ways to motivate those with disabilities and that all human beings in any position have dreams. Their goals are also so important,” said one attendee.