Turkish Cycling Caravan Journeys to Iran to Deliver Message of Solidarity to Children
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a Turkish journalist is leading a cycling caravan named “Friendship” on a significant 4,000-kilometer journey from Çanakkale to Minab, Iran. The initiative’s core objective is to convey a message of solidarity from Turkish children to their Iranian counterparts, particularly those who have been victims of war.
Kemal Yücel, the Turkish journalist behind the caravan, stated that the journey is designed to keep alive the memory of children who died in an attack on the Shajar al-Tayyibah elementary school in Minab. The caravan serves as a vehicle to deliver a message of solidarity from Turkish children to Iranian children.
A report from Turkey‘s “Sözcü” newspaper indicated that the school was targeted on February 28, 2025, during an attack attributed to the United States and the Israeli regime in Minab. According to an independent UN investigation, the attack resulted in the deaths of 157 individuals, including 123 children. Official Iranian figures report 156 fatalities, 120 of whom were students.
A Caravan Carrying Children’s Messages
Yücel explained that the response to the deaths of children should not be confined to social media posts. To address this, he and a group of friends, under the banner of “Bicycle Initiative,” decided to organize a caravan from Turkey to Iran.
The caravan is scheduled to convene in Diyarbakır on October 2, 2026, and then commence its journey towards Iran. The route within Iran will pass through cities including Khoy, Tabriz, Zanjan, Qazvin, Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Abadeh, Herat, Sirjan, Hajiabad, and Bandar Abbas, concluding its journey in front of the targeted school in Minab. The entire expedition is expected to span 25 days.
[data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=’http://www.w3.org/2000/svg’%20viewBox=’0%200%200%20620’%3E%3C/svg%3E]School Bags as Panniers
A symbolic element of this endeavor involves carrying children’s school bags on the back of bicycles. Turkish children are preparing to place letters, drawings, poems, toys, and messages of solidarity for Iranian children within these bags.
Yücel mentioned that some children undergoing treatment for leukemia at a hospital have also sent drawings for children in war-affected regions. Volunteers from a child support association in Turkey have provided thousands of toys for the caravan.
Iranian cyclists are expected to join the caravan members along the route within Iran. Yücel confirmed that coordination is underway with cycling groups and the Cycling Federation of Iran for their participation.
Upon reaching Minab, caravan members plan to meet with the families of the children who lost their lives in the school attack and distribute some of the collected gifts to children in the transit cities and Minab.
“Bicycles Don’t Need Oil, They Don’t Carry Bombs”
Explaining the choice of bicycles as a symbol for this movement, Yücel stated, “Bicycles don’t need oil, they don’t carry bombs, and they don’t bring death.”
He articulated the caravan’s aim as opposing war and attacks on civilians, and conveying a message of solidarity among peoples. “On the ancient Silk Road, caravans used to carry trade goods. This time, we are carrying messages of humanity and solidarity along the same route. Bicycles have replaced camels, and instead of trade goods, we are carrying children’s letters,” Yücel remarked.
[data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=’http://www.w3.org/2000/svg’%20viewBox=’0%200%201065%20620’%3E%3C/svg%3E]Çanakkale: A Historical Link Between Iran and Turkey
Yücel highlighted the historical ties between Iran and Turkey, referencing the Battle of Çanakkale, and views this journey as a step towards strengthening “bicycle friendship” between the two nations. He recalled that during the Battle of Çanakkale in 1915, some Iranians living in the Ottoman territories voluntarily joined the Ottoman army to defend Çanakkale due to religious and historical bonds. “Just as we fought against imperialism at Çanakkale, the people of Iran are now fighting against imperialists,” he added.
Meeting the Families of Minab’s Children
Yücel reiterated that upon arrival in Minab, caravan members will meet with the families of the children who died in the school attack, delivering the letters, drawings, and gifts from Turkish children. He also confirmed that Iranian cyclists will accompany the caravan members, with arrangements made with cycling groups and the Iranian Cycling Federation for the program’s execution.
Yücel considers this trip the initial step in establishing a “bicycle friendship bridge” between Iran and Turkey, expressing his intent to organize similar joint programs in the future.
“Let’s Melt Down All the World’s Weapons and Make Bicycles”
Regarding ongoing conflicts and tensions in the region, Yücel pointed to the severe humanitarian consequences of attacks by the United States and Israel in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran. “We do not separate the pain of children killed in Gaza from the pain of children who lost their lives in Minab. We have chosen Minab as a symbol of this shared pain,” he stated.
He concluded, “We do not want war anywhere in the world. Let’s melt down all the world’s weapons and make bicycles.”
The caravan is expected to cover approximately 4,000 kilometers before reaching Minab, concluding its journey in front of the school that was targeted in the attack by the United States and the Israeli regime.
