Ultra distance Dominican swimmer Marcos Diaz comes to Egypt to complete the second phase of a mission to unite the five continents. Ghada Abdel-Kader reports To promote the achievements of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Dominican ultra distance swimmer Marcos Diaz is attempting to achieve the unprecedented feat of becoming the first man to unite the five continents of the world. 'Swim Across the Continents with the United Nations for the UN Millennium Development Goals' is an initiative created by the Marcos Diaz Foundation, a non- governmental charity institution founded by Diaz in 2004. It involves supporting children in the Dominican Republic, who have limited economic resources, in the fight against illnesses, including cancer. "The Diaz foundation collaborates with private companies in various countries particularly in the Dominican Republic. The support of each country has been very good. The Egyptian government has supported us with accommodations and many other facilities," Diaz told Al-Ahram Weekly. The Marcos Diaz Foundation created and presented the project to the UN in New York in 2008. The biggest financial support for the project comes from the Dominican Republic. Diaz, 32, will launch four open water crossings to connect the five continents -- Oceania to Asia, Asia to Africa, Africa to Europe and Europe to America. He will swim alone, one swim each month. He started in May and will end in August. From these crossings, Diaz aims to bring the attention of every nation to MDGs. "No matter what the political situation is or what your religion is, we are not so far from each other," says Diaz who is swimming "to attract global attention to the fact that together we can contribute in the creation of positive change for humanity through the achievement of the eight UN MDGs. "I feel committed to contributing to the development of countries and promoting initiatives that will help turn the world into a better place for all. That's why I have asked the United Nations and the world to join me." On how, as a professional swimmer, Diaz is readying for the journey, he said that "hard training in the morning, a good team of professional coaches, trainers, discipline and seriousness about training, and a sports person giving back to the community are what make swimming across the continents possible. It is a very long process that costs a lot of money and takes much effort but all the big things in life have a big cost." Diaz and his team chose these four waterways to connect the five continents. "There was a lot of research using maps. In the beginning, it was very difficult to find which places could be swum in. We reached possibilities but we found some places were too dangerous. So, we had to find other alternatives which finally resulted in the four crossings." The first crossing in May was 20km across the border of Papa New Guinea (Oceania) to Mabo village in Indonesia (Asia). "The swim was in very good conditions. There were no crocodiles or big fish," Diaz said. The second crossing will unite Asia to Africa. Diaz will swim 18km starting from Coral Bay in Jordan across the Red Sea to Taba in Sinai, Egypt. The journey is scheduled for 9-11 June. The exact date will depend on weather conditions. In July, the third crossing, between 20- 22 kilometres, will unite Africa to Europe, from Point Cires in Morocco to Tarifa, Spain. The last crossing of eight kilometres will unite Europe to America, from Big Diomede, Russia, to Chulotka in Alaska, in August. "It is very cold water. Usually people in August don't swim but walk," Diaz said tongue in cheek. "For any professional swimmer the distance is not so great. The biggest challenge, however, is that I have never swam is these waters before. The big challenge of the team is to make sure safety precautions are taken: more boats, more people involved in security and safeguards. Another challenge is to stay in shape from one swim to the other. " Diaz is making his maiden appearance in Egypt. "I'm very excited. Personally, it's a very big honour. Egypt represents a lot in open water swimming. It is a prestigious country because of its athletes who made history like Abdel-Latif Abu Heif and Mohamed El-Zanati. Other talents are becoming big names." Abu Heif was the long-standing champion of major world long-distance swimming races of the River Nile, the Seine, Suez Canal, Mediterranean, the English Channel and Capri. His name resounds in the Florida Hall of Fame after he was selected the best swimmer of the 20th century. El-Zanati is the current long-distance world champion, third in the rankings of the International Swimming Federation. Among his achievements are three silver and two bronze medals in the World Cup for Swimming in the Open Water in Brazil, Spain and Macedonia. He also came first in Portugal in 2007. One challenge Diaz faces is sharks in the Red Sea. "We are using electronic devices called shark shields, a protective electronic area which does not harm sharks. It deters them using sensors in their nostrils. It creates eight metres of a protective zone which I can swim in." Egypt hosted Diaz for 10 days for training in cooperation with the Egyptian Sports Council and Egyptian Swimming Federation. He is scheduled to discuss with Egyptian government officials a number of projects promoted by the UNDP in Cairo and surrounding areas. He has met athletes and students at Cairo University. "We coordinated with the Egyptian government. We immediately informed the minister of foreign affairs, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Sport concerning Diaz's journey," the Dominican Republic Ambassador to Egypt Maria Gabriella Bonetti said. "The help they have given us is incredible, more than I ever expected to get. It was a pleasure to work with the Egyptian government." Diaz's team occupies a small office in the Dominican Republic. The job is mainly logistical as they seek the support of their embassies via the government. Six people travel with Diaz: his coach, assistant coach, camera crews and team coordinator. They get to the starting point of each swim earlier than the rest to prepare. They also meet local residents and swim federation officials for feedback. The eight UN MDGs are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV-AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop global partnership for development. The MDGs agreement, which seeks to achieve the eight goals by 2015, was signed by all UN members in 2000. "Every country has different challenges but we all need things to happen," Diaz added. He knows full well that open water swimming is not as popular as football, for example, "but it has something that makes all the sacrifice worthwhile." Diaz invites anybody to swim with him and to achieve MDGs by joining his website www.iswimwithmarcos.com. "It is not one swimmer's project but everybody's," said Diaz. Diaz will register their names and comments in a book he will deliver to the UN General Assembly in September which will hold an MDG summit. Prior to the summit, Diaz will swim from New York's Statue of Liberty to UN headquarters in a symbolic gesture. Diaz's career is star-studded. He swam across the English Channel in 2004, broke the world record for crossing the Strait of Gibraltar back and forth (Europe-Africa-Europe in 2005) and finished first in the world's longest competition, India's 81-kilometre-long Bhagirathi River, in 2006. He has swum around the island of Manhattan, New York, twice non-stop (more than 95 kilometres). Diaz has been placed higher than any Dominican in the world ranking established by the International Swimming Federation. In 2005, Diaz was chosen honorary goodwill ambassador of the Dominican Republic in recognition of the success of his work in sports. Concerning any upcoming work between Egypt and the Dominican Republic, Diaz said the ambassador to Egypt sought to use sports, especially open water swimming, to bring countries together. "We are thinking of many possibilities to be together. For me it is an incredible thing to do."
