Taoiseach and son 'delighted' to take part in GOAL virtual mile fundraiser
Cork Today Their And Doing Micheál Micheál Mile Aodh Martin, Son, Martin, City In His Taoiseach Goal
The Taoiseach joined an estimated 5,000 people at home and abroad for GOAL’s virtual mile event this Christmas.
Micheál Martin, and his son, Micheál Aodh, the Cork senior football goalkeeper, jogged their mile along the city's pedestrianised Marina amenity earlier today.
The GOAL Mile fundraiser has been a tradition for the last four decades as people tog off to walk, run or jog a mile at locations around the country to support the agency’s work in 14 countries in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Given the strict Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s event went virtual with an estimated 5,000 people registering to complete their mile at a time and place of their choosing, in line with the public health guidelines.
GOAL CEO Siobhan Walsh thanked the Taoiseach and the thousands of others who turned out over Christmas to complete their virtual GOAL Mile.
She said the 5,000 miles they ran is greater than the distance from Ireland to Syria where GOAL supports more than one million displaced people every day.
“I want to extend a world of thanks to each and every person around Ireland, including the Taoiseach who has a very busy schedule, and his son, for uniting as one global family this Christmas to make a difference,” she said.
Delighted to get my #GOALMile done this morning! pic.twitter.com/j9wTFayycz
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) December 27, 2020
“This year has seen all of our lives upheaved in ways unimaginable just 12 months ago.
“The impact of Covid-19 has been profound in the 13 countries in which GOAL works, exacerbated by the unresolved humanitarian issues that plague progress including climate change, global hunger, access to clean water, basic medical care, and sustainable livelihoods.
“Since March, our teams have implemented a wide range of activities to reach over 17m people with Covid-19 awareness and supports.
“This would not have been possible without the generous support of the people of Ireland.
“Whilst this Christmas we were all asked to keep apart, I am so happy that so many stood together to do a mile in solidarity for GOAL. It has been tremendous.
“The pandemic means the GOAL Mile is more important than ever as we work to rebuild communities shattered by disease, conflict and climate change.”
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, GOAL reached more than eight million people in various countries with food, health, livelihoods and emergency response support.