From Ocean to Desert

In the past weeks, Peter Gadiot has been a regular at the doctor's surgery, receiving treatment from the osteopath and having ice packs on his knees after suffering the heavy strain from rowing 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean.

Now Peter is running The Marathon Des Sables (MDS - Marathon of the Sands) which is held for six consecutive days in the Saharan desert. It is considered the "toughest foot race on Earth".

The 250 km ultra marathon, which is the equivalent of 5½ regular marathons, includes running across ground with towering sand dunes, uneven rocky terrain and dangerous valleys.

The heat is one of the main challenges as mid-day temperatures can reach a suffocating 49°C (120°F) even in early April, made worse by the fact that the runners have to carry everything needed for the duration of the race in a rucksack. This includes food (which they must prepare from the stocks they carry), clothes, medical kit, sleeping bag, compass, torch, whistle, cooking equipment, anti-venom pump, signaling mirror, etc.

Water is strictly rationed throughout the race and handed out at each checkpoint in 1.5-litre bottles .

The longest single stage is 84 km (52 miles) long.

This is the third grueling event Peter has done in the last 6 months (a triathlon, rowing the Atlantic Ocean and this Ultra-marathon, for which Peter had no time to train because his Atlantic crossing was seriously delayed due to adverse weather conditions). Why would someone put his body through this much pain? Peter is bringing awareness to modern-day slavery in all its forms.

Although there has been a lot attention drawn to the issue of human trafficking and slavery in the recent months (the US president declared the whole month of January an anti-human trafficking month; in the UK, the house of commons had an exhibition; and an increasing number of celebrities are running campaigns about it), more needs to be done to fully eradicate this heinous crime.

Human trafficking is considered the second largest and fastest growing illegal industry in the world according to the United Nations, with 80% of victims being women and 50%, children (from a Trafficking in Persons report by the US Department of State).

Any donations of any amount towards our No Slavery project would be greatly appreciated. Please click HERE to donate.
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Physically weak, mentally strong.

5.30AM, Monday, 4th January.

At last we leave. The month of delays is now but a faded memory.

Final preparations have been done and one last night on land is upon me. I worked hard in October and November to bulk up and managed 8kg on my last triathlon race weight. But I found it hard to maintain with the meager variety of food in La Gomera and what with a bit of illness over Christmas, I have lost about 3kg. So I am not in as good a shape as I was, as well as having to depart with a cold, just for the added challenge. But the benefit is having more time to psychologically prepare. I have used it to find things to motivate me and to keep things in perspective; not least those souls throughout the ages, and to this very day, who have had to suffer unimaginable horrors - like those who have been deprived of their freedom, tortured, dehumanised, enslaved.

In comparison to that, anything I suffer is just folly.

I have been thinking about the crossing and how to respond best to challenges and the extremes I will face. I know it will be harsh and relentless, but I hope to be able to learn from it and use that learning to aid me in future challenges in life. I hope to be rich in experiences from the crossing.

"Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will."

Gandhi

I imagined being asked, 'How are you doing? and I responded, 'Physically weak, mentally strong' and the more I thought about it, I felt that this pithy phrase will sum up my inevitable condition and my resolute intention. I have adopted it as my motto. Through will, one can withstand anything. Throughout human history, many great men have discovered this to be the truth, and I feel no different.

"The mind is everything."

Buddha

The test is upon me.

I will endeavour to send out short blogs while at sea every 4 days or so, dependent on power, nausea etc, so please check back to keep updated. Also remember you can see a satellite tracker of our boat (Brittania III) here.

Happy New Year Everyone! I'm off to row the Atlantic.

Peter G.
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Peter Gadiot explains what's going to happen

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This is about our campaign to make the world more aware of modern-day slavery.

More info at our website http://www.rowingagainstslavery.org - please check it out and also follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/ragainstslavery and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=291911600110.

Thanks for viewing - Peter Gadiot

Fondswerver en avonturier roeit de Atlantische Oceaan over om aandacht te vragen voor moderne slavernij

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Om de door de VN erkende Internationale dag van de afschaffing van de slavernij kracht bij te zetten, roeit de jonge acteur Peter Gadiot de Atlantische Oceaan over in een poging het wereldrecord te breken en zo de aandacht te vestigen op het probleem van wereldwijde slavernij en mensenhandel.

Peter Gadiot

Londen, Verenigd Koninkrijk – Acteur Peter Gadiot roeit de Atlantische Oceaan over om aandacht te vragen voor het probleem van de moderne slavernij. Hij hoopt de oversteek van La Gomera op de Canarische Eilanden naar Antigua in de Caraïben in een recordtijd van minder dan 33 dagen af te leggen.

Dit project zet bovendien de door de VN erkende Internationale dag van de afschaffing van de slavernij (2 december) kracht bij; deze dag valt tijdens de laatste voorbereidingen voor de oversteek. Peter Gadiot en zijn crew zullen op zondag 6 december 2009 aan de oversteek beginnen.

De bijna 5000 km lange reis is een enorme fysieke uitdaging; alle crewleden roeien gedurende 24 uur per dag in een continu ritme van 2 uur op, 2 uur af – zodat de boot tijdens de gehele oversteek niet stil komt te liggen - in een poging het huidige wereldrecord van 33 dagen te verbreken.

De crew, die mogelijk naakt zal moeten roeien om zoutzweren te voorkomen, zal te maken krijgen met blaren, slecht weer en haaien. Bovendien zullen ze het tijdens de oversteek moeten stellen zonder toiletvoorzieningen en gekookt voedsel.

De 10-koppige crew is samengesteld door de kapitein, Ian Couch; één van de enige drie mannen ter wereld die zowel de Atlantische als de Indische Oceaan heeft overgeroeid.

"Tijdens mijn reizen naar diverse landen in de wereld heb ik met mijn eigen ogen gezien wat de effecten zijn van moderne slavernij. Daarom wil ik heel graag iets grootst doen om aandacht te vragen voor dit probleem," aldus Peter die het project “Rowing Against Slavery” heeft genoemd.

Peter, die zelf geen roeiervaring heeft, wil het probleem onder de aandacht te brengen om zo mee te helpen aan de bestrijding van deze verderfelijke en mensonterende misdaad. De campagne wordt gesteund door organisaties die strijden tegen slavernij en uitbuiting in al zijn vormen, waaronder Anti-Slavery International en Fairtrade Foundation and Help the Children.

Het probleem van moderne slavernij:

• De VN schat dat wereldwijd 12,3 miljoen mensen als slaaf worden gebruikt.

• Mensenhandel is een moderne tragedie; het is de snelst groeiende vorm van slavernij en een illegale industrie waarin miljarden euro's omgaan.

• De belangrijkste vormen van uitbuiting zijn gedwongen arbeid, schuldslavernij en mensenhandel.

“Iedereen zal ontzag hebben voor de enorme fysieke uitdaging die Peter en zijn crewgenoten zichzelf hebben opgelegd, maar wat nog indrukwekkender is, is dat Peter zijn moed inzet in solidariteit met de miljoenen mensen die over de hele wereld als slaaf worden gebruikt.

Peter zal aandacht vragen voor de vrijheidsstrijd van de schuldslaven in Zuid-Azië, voor de pogingen van huishoudelijk personeel om wereldwijd wettelijke bescherming te krijgen en voor de roep om scholing door miljoenen kinderen die tegen hun wil gedwongen worden te werken. Wat hij doet, zou over alle oceanen moeten weerklinken, opdat de leiders, door wiens gebrek aan optreden dergelijk onrecht blijft bestaan, zich zouden schamen.”

Aldus Aiden McQuade, directeur van Anti-Slavery International (opgericht in 1839)

Bedrijven en personen die het project willen sponsoren of een bedrag willen doneren om zo het project te steunen en geld in te zamelen voor instellingen tegen slavernij, kunnen terecht op de website van het project: http://www.rowingagainstslavery.org. Donaties van goederen en diensten zijn eveneens zeer welkom.

Over Peter Gadiot

Peter Gadiot is half Mexicaans, half Nederlands. Hij is opgegroeid in Sussex in het Verenigd Koninkrijk en heeft een groot deel van zijn leven doorgebracht vele verschillende landen - hij is een echte wereldburger.

Hij heeft een opleiding gevolgd aan het gerenommeerde Drama Centre London (bekende oud-studenten zijn: Colin Firth, Paul Bettany en Pierce Brosnan) en is in de zomer van 2008 afgestudeerd. Hij speelt in de Britse tv-komedie, “My Spy Family” en heeft de mannelijke hoofdrol in de nieuwe speelfilm “13Hrs”. http://www.petergadiot.com

Verdere informatie over Peter en informatie over de 10 crewleden, die allen voor hun eigen goede doel roeien, kunt u vinden op de website van de crew die binnenkort bekend zal worden gemaakt.

Neem voor meer informatie contact op met:

Peter Gadiot
Rowing Against Slavery
+44 (0)777 606 3653

rowingagainstslavery@gmail.com
http://www.rowingagainstslavery.org
http://www.twitter.com/RAgainstslavery

Aangeboden door: WorldWidePR.net
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Crawley Library Talk

Come along to my talk at the Crawley library on Thursday the 5th November! Please click on the poster to enlarge it.

Anti-Slavery International Director Sends Letter of Support

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It is all happening!

This week has seen several newspaper articles printed as well as our first radio interview (audio to come soon).




One of the charities we are supporting is Anti-Slavery International which was founded in 1839 by Thomas Clarkson and other abolitionists, making it the first ever International Human rights Organization.

Their director, Aiden McQuade, was on a long train journey and thought of writing a message for us and here it is...

“While everyone must be in awe of the sheer physical challenge of the task that Peter and his team mates have set themselves, even more impressive is that Peter is deploying his courage in solidarity with the millions of people in slavery across the world.

Peter will be raising awareness of the struggle for freedom by bonded labourers in South Asia, the efforts of domestic workers to obtain legal protection around the world, and the demands for education by the millions of children forced to work against their will. What he is doing should echo across all the oceans and shame the leaders whose inactions maintain such injustices.”

Aiden McQuade

Wow, I'll certainly find motivation from those words when the going gets tough.

Please, remember... This project benefits from monetary or time/talent contributions. We are actively looking for sponsorship and donations from companies and individuals to help fund the project and raise money for our charities. Every £5.00 means 1 mile further across the ocean. Donations of goods and services are also very welcome.

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Join our Facebook group, follow us on Twitter, and please help us spread the word! Any contribution of any size in whatever form would be very appreciated!
+44 (0)777 606 3653 rowingagainstslavery@gmail.com
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Actor Rowing the Atlantic to Raise Awareness of Modern-Day Slavery

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To mark the United Nations’ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, young actor, Peter Gadiot, is crossing the Atlantic Ocean to highlight the problem of global slavery and human trafficking whilst attempting to break the cross-Atlantic rowing world record.

Peter Gadiot

East Grinstead, Sussex, UK – Actor, Peter Gadiot, is rowing the Atlantic to raise awareness of the problem of modern-day slavery. The crossing from La Gomera, Canary Isles to Antigua in the Caribbean is hoped to be completed in a record-breaking time of less than 33 days.

The project also marks the United Nations’ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - 2 December - which falls during the final preparations for the crossing. The crew is scheduled for departure on Sunday, 6th December 2009.

The 3,000-mile journey will be an enormous physical challenge, with all crew members rowing 2 hours on, 2 hours off, continuously for 24 hours a day – such that the boat will never stop moving throughout the entire crossing - in an effort to beat the current 33-day cross-Atlantic world record.

The crew, who may have to row naked in order to prevent salt sores, will face blisters, temperamental weather and sharks, as well as no cooked food or toilet facilities.

The crew of 10 was hand picked by the captain, Ian Couch, one of only three men in the world to have rowed both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

"Having travelled to many countries across the world and seen, first hand, some of the effects of modern day slavery, I really wanted to do something big to raise awareness of this issue," says Peter who has named the project, “Rowing Against Slavery”.

Peter, who has no previous rowing experience, aims to increase awareness of the problem to help combat this pernicious and degrading crime. The campaign is in support of organisations that campaign against slavery and exploitation in all its forms, such as Anti-Slavery International and Fairtrade Foundation.

The problem of contemporary slavery:

• The UN estimates that 12.3 million people, worldwide, are enslaved.

• Human trafficking is a modern tragedy, is the fastest growing form of slavery and is a $10 billion illegal industry.

• Major forms of exploitation are forced labour, bonded labour (debt slavery) and sexual slavery.

Sponsorship and donations from companies and individuals to help fund the project and raise money for anti-slavery charities are invited via the project’s website at http://www.rowingagainstslavery.org. Donations of goods and services are also very welcome.

About Peter Gadiot

Peter Gadiot is half Mexican, half Dutch, grew up in Sussex, UK and has spent a large part of his life in many different countries - he is a true citizen of the world.

He trained at the prestigious Drama Centre London (whose alumni include Colin Firth, Paul Bettany and Pierce Brosnan), graduating summer 2008. His credits include the TV comedy, “My Spy Family” and the male lead in the upcoming feature film, “13Hrs”. http://www.petergadiot.com

Further information about Peter along with details of the 10 crew members, each rowing for their own separate causes, can be found at the crew’s website which will be announced soon.

For more information, please contact:

Peter Gadiot
Rowing Against Slavery
+44 (0)777 606 3653

rowingagainstslavery@gmail.com
http://www.rowingagainstslavery.org
http://www.twitter.com/RAgainstSlavery

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

Media coverage:

• Rowing News
• East Grinstead Courier and Observer
  
• pr-inside
• bignews.biz
• WorldWidePR
• blog.press-releases-news
• press-releases-news
• OpenPR

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