Beyond the Sea: Cycling to Support Refugees

Cycling is more than a sport or a hobby for many people. It can be a way of exploring the world, connecting with others, and making a difference. Mattia Lazzarin is one of those people who uses his bike as a tool for social change.

Mattia is a photographer who has launched an ambitious project called Beyond the Sea. He plans to ride 12,000 kilometers around the Mediterranean Sea, visiting refugee camps along the way. He wants to learn more about the lives and struggles of the refugees, share their stories with the world, and support the organizations that help them.

Ritchey is honored to sponsor Mattia Lazzarin on this noble adventure. We will post his updates here regularly. We also encourage you to follow him on his journey and donate to his cause. You can find the links below.

Here is Mattia in his own words to give us more detail about his adventure:

Hello, my name is Mattia.

I'm 45 years old and I'm a photographer.

Throughout my travels, I have always been drawn to the faces and stories of the people I meet, and I have always tried to be supportive of them. This year, I have decided to provide concrete help by thinking and creating a journey to bring light, both through fundraising and by telling and photographing the realities I will encounter.

Specifically, on July 1, 2023, I will hop on my bicycle and pedal around the entire perimeter of the Mediterranean Sea (as much as possible considering that some countries are completely or partially inaccessible). Along my route I will cross Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France, covering approximately 12,000 kilometers over the course of five months.

My bike journey aims to be a thread that connects all these countries involved in migration, both as countries people flee from and as countries that welcome them. This is where the name of the project, "Beyond the Sea," comes into play: documenting and going beyond the sea, the barriers (both cultural and physical), going beyond prejudices, going beyond appearances, in order to delve deeper and understand what drives these populations to leave everything behind and seek hope elsewhere.

In addition to bringing visibility to these stories, I want to support associations that are committed to helping refugees and displaced people near camps and border areas. This fundraising is specifically for them, to finance their projects and provide the necessary resources to care for, assist, and offer a dignified life to those who have lost everything. The proceeds will be divided among all the associations I encounter during my journey, with a focus on Greece (Corinth, Athens, Thessaloniki).

As we look at the Mediterranean, which embraces all of us, bathes many different lands, and unites us all with the same horizon, we can all be droplets in a sea that welcomes.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Mattia

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