Integrate constantly "Laufend integrieren"

• Refugees in summer 2015

  N THE SUMMER OF 2015, MUNICH WAS THE FIRST PORT OF CALL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD LEFT THEIR HOMES TO ESCAPE WAR AND POVERTY; THOUSANDS ARRIVED DAILY IN SPECIAL TRAINS AT MUNICH’S MAIN STATION. A few weeks later, at the marathon weekend, they were on the course as helpers. Some also ventured out onto the courses themselves (marathon, half marathon, 10 KM). Together with the Social Department of the City of Munich and various aid organisations, a special programme for the integration of refugees was set up.

  “YOUNG REFUGEES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE SITUATION OF HAVING TO ACCEPT HELP – NOW THEY CAN GIVE SOMETHING BACK,” Gernot Weigl comments on the zeal with which the refugees got involved in the organisation. Together with club members from Bavarian clubs, they stood at the food stands along the route and took on organisational tasks in the Olympic Stadium. But refugees did not only shape the image of the MUNICH MARATHON as friendly helpers. In 2015 and 2016, a total of 76 refugees took up the offer to start. The programme included targeted preparation, which was also open to all other interested parties in the run-up to the marathon: “Integrate running.”

• Donation of 30,000 euros by Wristbands "Running Integration"

  Wristbands with this motto were offered at the marathon fair in the Olympic Hall and in the online shop – from these proceeds and sponsorship money, 30,000 euros were handed over to the social department of the city of Munich last year for the purpose of supporting refugees.

• Running helps "Laufen hilft"

  “Munich provides a great example of how running can help address the great humanitarian challenges of our time,” says Paco Borao, President of AIMS, which organises over 400 running events worldwide.

  In previous years, the Tokyo Marathon and the Great Ethiopian Run had received the Social Award. “We have made new friends and experienced moving reactions from the people of Munich,” explains Gernot Weigl, the race director of the MUNICH MARATHON. Of course, Munich will continue the project “Integrating Running”. “We will even expand it,” announces Gernot Weigl. “A big topic for 2017 will be inclusion. We also want to promote the integration of people with disabilities at the MUNICH MARATHON in the future.

• Social Award 2017

  For this commitment, the MUNICH MARATHON was awarded the “Social Award 2017” by the “Association of International Marathons and Distance Races” (AIMS) at their World Congress.

  In 2018, MUNICH MARATHON GmbH was honoured with the “Commitment Award of the City of Munich”.

• The support continues in 2018

  With the support of Munich Airport, refugees and people with physical disabilities were once again able to take part in the GMM 2018 and actively participate in the organisation. RheumaKids in Motion” of the German Children’s Rheumatism Foundation was chosen as the 2018 cooperation project of “Laufend integrieren”.

• Donation of 17,000 euros to "buntkicktgut

  After the great success of the Kick’n’Run project in 2017, a donation cheque for 17,000 euros was handed over to the “buntkicktgut” initiative. This project impressively proved that football and running are closely linked.

• German Children's Rheumatism Foundation "Deutsche Kinderrheuma-Stiftung"

  In 2018, among other things, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the donation ribbons went to the German Children’s Rheumatism Foundation. This support was used to promote a local farm project that offers affected families and children with rheumatism rest and relaxation from their stressful everyday lives.