Parkour Away The Gaza Depression

The Palestine population consists of a majority of youths below 25, most of whom are unemployed due to the damaged economy. The numerous conflicts in the Middle Eastern region and the territorial blockade are some of the causes. This means many youths live below the poverty line. To make matters worse, many youth centres were shut down by the previous government.

When I first started five years ago, it helped me get out of the depression I felt living in Gaza.

– Abdullah, a traceur on how parkour and free running has helped him.

Constantly faced with buildings filled with bullet-holes, these youths (lacking the capacity to work  and having no place for leisure activities) often turn to drugs to alleviate the feeling of depression and dullness.

Amidst the stark reality of Palastine, some young men in Gaza have discovered parkour some years ago and are relying on parkour as a form of escape from their worries. This is indeed inspiring and kudos to these traceurs for overcoming adversity.