This event, “Riding to Break the Cycle 24 Hour Edition,” is a call out for riders to participate in Global Agentʼs “Riding to Break the Cycle” bicycle tours – including upcoming trips across Europe (in June 2011) and down the Pacific Coast (in May 2011). Funds raised from these two tours will be invested in proven social ventures that create long-term impact in communities worldwide.

Through these tours, riders will raise awareness about Kenya and Ugandaʼs large youth population and high youth unemployment rate, and the devastating issues facing both countries as a result: poverty, violence, disease and environmental degradation. Each tour will be supporting a Global Catalyst Initiative - a program that provides early stage funding for projects pursuing sustainable solutions to global poverty. The project selected in Kenya works to get youth off streets and out of poverty. The project selected in Uganda will create sustainable technology-based social enterprise and community organizations. Without riders, both of these projects providing innovation solutions to global poverty will not be funded.

The 24 hour bike-a-thon will also demonstrate to onlookers what a day on a cross-continental cycling tour is like. Cycling thousands of kilometres is no easy task. While Global Agents cyclists will be cycling nonstop for the day, onlookers will have the opportunity to try cycling as long as they can on one of the stationary bikes. To date, Riding to Break the Cycle has raised over $250,000 CAD and has run seven major tours internationally since 2007. Find out more about Riding to Break the Cycle by visiting www.globalafc.org