ROME
\nThe founder of the Beirut Marathon has been awarded a knighthood by the Italian government in recognition of her work in developing and promoting sport as a tool for inclusion, empowerment and resilience.
\nIn a ceremony at the Italian Embassy in Beirut, Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere bestowed the honor of knight of the Order of the Star of Italy upon May El-Khalil, the president of the Beirut Marathon Association, which oversees the annual race.
\nThe event has been held every autumn since 2003, and is one of the largest running events in the Middle East.
\nThe marathon was accredited by the International Association of Athletic Federations in 2009, and thousands of people take part every year.
\nThe knighthood, Italy\u2019s second-highest civilian honor, is given to Italians or foreigners who have acquired special merit in the promotion of friendly relations and cooperation between the republic and other countries.
\nBombardiere said El-Khalil \u201cembodies a model of commitment and perseverance,\u201d adding: \u201cShe has been able, through sport, to create opportunities for the younger generations, and to reach out to the different communities in Lebanon. A story of professional success, personal courage and public commitment.
\n\u201cSport is not only a tool for physical, but also for mental well-being, moral education and national reconciliation,\u201d the Italian envoy added.
\nA local sports official, El-Khalil explained her initiative was for the marathon in Beirut to be \u201copen to all, as an antidote to sectarianism.\u201d
\nShe has already earned several national and international awards for her work, and said she was inspired to launch the marathon after being involved in a near-fatal running accident.
\nShe was hospitalized for two years, had to undergo a long series of surgeries, with doctors warning her she would never run again.
\nHer resolve to recover from this personal struggle, however, led to the creation of an event that, each year, draws runners and fans from opposing political and religious communities together in a symbolic act of peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ROME The founder of the Beirut Marathon has been awarded a knighthood by the Italian government in recognition of her work in developing and promoting sport as a tool for inclusion, empowerment and resilience. In a ceremony at the Italian Embassy in Beirut, Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere bestowed the honor of knight of the Order of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-240518","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n