The Afghan women's national cycling team has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The team and those around them put their lives on the line by practicing cycling because they are rightly convinced that cycling is their right to do so. In January, the Italian radio station RAI2 announced the official nomination of the bicycle for the Nobel Peace Prize, with the support of 118 Italian lawmakers, to promote the "most democratic means of transportation of mankind". The women of the Afghan National Cycling Team were nominated as a human representation of the bicycle and its power to promote social justice.

Liv Ambassador Shannon Galpin and her non-profit Mountain2Mountain have supported the Afghan Women's Cycling Program for the past two and a half years. In a blog she writes "the nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize recognizes the bravery, courage and ability of these women to take back the streets and their right to cycle." Shannon Galpin's courage, determination and stubborn refusal to accept inequality as part of the Afghan National Cycling Team has also brought this issue to the attention of the world. Galpin is an avid mountain biker and adventurer who is focused on breaking down the barriers between the sexes. In 2009, she became the first woman to ride a mountain bike in Afghanistan, despite the country's culture not allowing women to cycle. She runs Mountain2Mountain, a non-profit organization supported by LIV that works to improve the lives of women and girls in crisis areas. For almost a year, Galpin has been working in Afghanistan to empower women and create new opportunities.

Galpin has been instrumental in building the first-ever women's national team in Afghanistan, which - with the support of LIV - aims to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games. Galpin is a champion not only for the women in Afghanistan because she helps them discover new opportunities in their lives every day. "Because of the cultural stigma, cycling for girls in Afghanistan is considered controversial," says Galpin. "These brave women in Afghanistan are overcoming the discriminatory boundaries imposed on them by a male-dominated world with their dedication and courage."

www.mountain2mountain.org
www.shannongalpin.com
www.liv-cycling.com