Forty hikers from Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Kenya, Switzerland, UK and USA arrived in Kyrgyzstan to embark on the first Summer Hike4Life around Issyk Kul Lake. The hikers are motivated by a desire to help communities around the world benefit from the work of Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS), an international crisis response and disaster risk mitigation affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Hike4Life is part of a series of annual FOCUS Challenge events that have taken the form of bike rides and hikes through some of the most challenging trails and beautiful environments in the world. “The event is being held in Central Asia for the first time and we have chosen Kyrgyzstan because of the strong relationship that AKDN has with this country,” said one of the organizing team members.
During a fascinating nine-day adventure the participants will hike over 100 kilometres following on of the routes of the ancient Silk Road on the southern coast of the Issyk Kul Lake starting from the stunning Boom gorge to the City of Karakol via Jety Ogyz mountain pass, along Chon and Kichi Kyzyl Suu.
“This is a great event helping people to network globally, to get exposed to so many different cultures and learn more about Kyrgyzstan, its beautiful nature and traditions,” shared her expectations one of the event participants.
In preparations for the event, participants have spent months raising funds and spreading awareness of FOCUS’ work in their home countries. Funds raised through Challenge events go towards empowering communities living in disaster-prone regions, where FOCUS provides humanitarian responses when disasters occur, and helps communities prepare by training them to become first responders. In 2008, following the devastating earthquake in Nura Village, FOCUS through AKDN provided relief assistance to the affected people of Kyrgyzstan.
Previous Hike4Life events have been organized in the winter in Egypt, India, Kenya, Madagascar and Tanzania. FOCUS is planning the Hike4Life event in Uganda this winter.
http://www.akipress.com/_en_news.php?id=33296
http://www.focuschallenge.org/summer2009.html
Ismailimail 
Appropriate quotes for this post:
“……The Quran tells us that signs of Allah’s Sovereignty are found in the contemplation of His Creation – in the heavens and the earth, the night and the day, the clouds and the seas, the winds and the waters….”(Aga Khan IV, Kampala, Uganda, August 22 2007)
“The Quran very often refers to nature as a reflection of Allah’s power of creation and says: Look at the mountains, look at the rivers, look at the trees, look at the flowers all as evidence of Allah’s love for the people whom He has created. Today I look at this environment and I say that I beleive that Allah is smiling upon you, may His smile always be upon you”(Aga Khan IV, Khorog, Tajikistan, May 27th 1995)
http://gonashgo.blogspot.com/2009/08/500blogpost-five-hundred-is-blogpost.html
http://gonashgo.blogspot.com/2008/09/400blogpost-four-hundred-knowledge.html
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