Ugandan runner due to arrive in London after 516 days and 7,700 miles on the road | Global development

A Ugandan athlete arrives in London this weekend after running 7,730 miles (12,440 kilometers) South Africa In a bid to raise awareness of racism, he revealed he was repeatedly abused after arriving in Europe.

Deo Kato set off from Cape Town in July 2023 and steadily headed north, starting a 516-day adventure Sentenced to jail for several weeksBecame bedridden due to serious illness and had to travel through a war zone.

This epic run was conceived by London-based Kato Highlighting human migration history As well as the discrimination faced by many black Africans, this message was underlined by the fact that he suffered daily racism from police and passers-by in parts of Europe.

During the journey, Kato climbed the equivalent of 11 Mount Everests and is expected to reach the central London He will join hundreds of runners outside Downing Street on Sunday before completing his route in Hammersmith, west London.

Speaking to the Guardian after passing through cloudy Lille in France this week, the Ugandan-born runner said that despite some serious lows, the overall experience had given him a renewed faith in humanity. Highlights include stretches along the Kalahari Highway Botswana Kato said he was joined by a 15-year-old boy who reminded him of his teenage years.

“He was multilingual and spoke three languages, including English. He spent some time in the UK but moved back to Botswana due to family difficulties. Our time running together was short, but that moment made me The heart feels warm.

Another affirming moment came in January, 1,800 miles north of Kenya, when a group of children spontaneously joined Kato on a 5-mile trip to school. “They want to keep running with me,” he said.

In other cases, however, he pretty much packs it in. Ugandahis one-man support staff resigned, leaving him with no support vehicles or help at a time when his running funds were nearly depleted. To further complicate matters, all of the preceding routes either involve conflict or extreme risk.

“Looking ahead, I note the ubiquity of conflict in places like eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and northern Ethiopia,” Kato said. “Logistically, it feels impossible to continue to pass Africa”.

More than 5,000 miles later, another low point came when Kato experienced the racism that other Africans faced. Europe.

“Another time I wanted to put it in Croatia Because I really felt like I was considered an illegal immigrant. I felt unwelcome or not part of their society.

“The police stopped me at least four times a day. Sometimes, I found locals taking photos of me and reporting them to the police,” he said.

“This experience, coupled with everything I experienced on my trip to Africa and other personal challenges, made it difficult to move on.”

Kato hopes his journey will draw attention to humans’ earliest migrations from Africa and challenge the racist notion that people should “go back to where they came from.” He said that, taken as a whole, the campaign highlighted the positive aspects of immigration and its potential to “create a more culturally connected and richer global society”.

His experience also made him believe that human nature will eventually overcome prejudice. “I think that in the future, we will create a world without racial discrimination,” he said.

“While this won’t come to fruition in my lifetime, I believe my efforts and those of others committed to this cause are laying the foundation for the next generation.”

However, he acknowledged that it also heightened concerns about “fortress europe” The European Union is taking steps to stop African migrants from migrating north.

“Countries in the Global North have long-established systems designed to confine and criminalize individuals, especially Africans, in countries from the Global South.”

Kato’s partner, Alice Light, said the past 18 months had highlighted the best and worst in human nature. “It’s been an unimaginable roller coaster of highs and lows, beauty, joy and heartbreak,” she said.

She said the couple had no plans for Christmas. “Making plans has been so unpredictable, but I now know a break is coming and I’m grateful for it. I feel incredibly proud and lucky to be on this journey with Deo.

Kato Cong long march to freedom A monument in Cape Town commemorating the anti-apartheid struggle. He chose to cross the Eastern Front of Africa because he wanted to pass through Nakulabai, the small Ugandan town where he grew up, to meet family members he had not seen for many years.