Marathon for the
Peace
La first marathon in the world inside a prison where people in prison, victims, released persons, and family members ran together.
We call it running to repair: every shared step is a distance closed.
Mar 22, 2019 · Nov 19, 2022
World’s number one inside a prison
In the world
Intramural marathon with victims and people in prison situations
Editions
2019 · 2022
Under evaluation
Possible next edition
Inclusive
By categories · with walking mode
The idea, briefly
A real marathon. Inside a prison.
After a series of Open House days at the Batán Prison, Pampa came up with the idea of a "Marathon for Peace," inspired by a sporting event held in Corrientes in which the association Victims for Peace had participated. But he didn’t just want to copy the idea: at Liberté the marathon had to serve a purpose beyond running — so that victims, people in prison, family members, and officials could all step on the same pavement.
But first, there was a wait. When Pampa brought it up to Dr. Mario Juliano —already Liberté’s godfather— the judge was initially reluctant. “We’ll see,” he told him, and made him wait. Only after finishing the mural The Most Beautiful Mural in the World —another project Pampa had also proposed to him— did Mario approach Pampa and, almost quietly, give his approval.
La first Marathon for Peace was run in March 2019, inside the Unidad Penal N°15 of Batán, using the internal ring roads. The start was intramural and the finish at the Comunidad Pastoral Universitaria, where the closing ceremony and awards presentation took place. The Marathon Federation sent its directors to oversee the competition. There was live music, speakers, and many people running with donated shirts from the inspiring marathon.
La second edition was held on November 19, 2022, already with Liberté moved to its current Territory. The ceremonial acts took place at the cooperative, where the restaurant Punto de Paz was also awarded. As in 2019, people in prison situations, victims, released persons, family members, professional marathon runners, and judicial officials ran together.
"If you agree, let's start organizing the marathon."
— Dr. Mario Juliano · Godfather of Liberté
Quick facts
The concept
Run to repair
The verb correr is conjugated here in two senses at the same time: as body movement and as an act that repairs.
A marathon where physical performance is measured. A restorative act where something else is measured: the ability of victims, people in prison, released persons, family members, and officials to step on the same asphalt, cross the same finish line, and take a photo together when they arrive.
Inclusion
Categories by physical performance — with walking mode. Everyone runs at their own pace.
Meeting
Victims, people incarcerated, released individuals, family members, and officials running together without distinctions.
Repair
The street as a restorative tool: what the cell separates, the shared asphalt brings back together.
The human hinge
The day Diana arrived in Batán
At the first Marathon for Peace, on March 22, 2019, Dr. Diana Márquez came. It was her first visit to Batán prison. There she met Liberté.
Three years later, she would be co-creator of Restaurante Punto de Paz, the world’s first restaurant managed by people in prison. Today she is secretary of the Cooperativa Liberté.
The marathon was the gateway. The alliance with Victims for Peace had already begun with the mural, but it was that day — March 22, 2019 — that Diana crossed the walls of Batán for the first time and began to weave the bond from which several shared chapters would later emerge — including the Punto de Paz Restaurant.
The two editions
Two starts. The same utopia.
Edition
March 22, 2019
UP15 Batán · 1st in the world
- Start and route through the internal ring roads of the prison
- Arrival at the University Pastoral Community — closing ceremony and awards presentation
- Monitored by the directors of the Marathon Federation
- Donated marathon t-shirts — those who ran keep them as treasures
- Live music and very excited speakers (especially the president of the Marathon Runners Federation)
- Categories by physical performance — some participated in walking mode
- Opening of the art exhibition "Fall in Love If You Can," by the artist Betina Ferrara
- First visit to Batán by Dr. Diana Márquez
Edition
November 19, 2022
Territory Liberté · Mar del Plata
- Organized by Liberté and Victims for Peace
- Start and finish in the current Territory of the cooperative
- Protocolary acts in the cooperative institution
- Award to the Punto de Paz Restaurant, another milestone of the same arc
- It maintained the characteristics of the first: professional marathon runners, people in prison, victims, released individuals, and family members running together.
- Professional inspection · categories · walking mode
Those who run with us
The marathon doesn’t run itself.
Victims for Peace
Co-organizer from the beginning. Founded by Judge Mario Juliano. Brought the perspective of the victims and the network that made the gathering possible.
Marathoners Federation
Its male and female executives oversaw both editions, adding sporting rigor to a marathon unprecedented in its human composition.
Judiciary
Judicial officials ran and participated in the ceremonial events in both editions.
Penitentiary Service
UP15 staff joining the race on equal footing with those who were running.
"The distance between a victim and a person in prison is sometimes 21 kilometers run side by side. After that, the distance is no longer the same."
Other milestones of the same arc
What the marathon opened up
Punto de Paz Restaurant
The world's first restaurant managed by people who are incarcerated. Diana Márquez was a co-creator — and it all started at the 1st marathon.
The Most Beautiful Mural in the World
Inaugurated on December 19, 2019, on the wall of the passageway that the workers of Liberté saw every day. Another milestone from the same period. Landing in preparation.
Do you want to know the full story?
How the idea was born, the two starts, the excited speakers, Diana Márquez’s first visit to Batán, and everything that marathon opened up for Liberté — all in one read.