French cyclist on cross-country trek reaches Türkiye to raise awareness of global warming

By Gokhan Balci

EDIRNE, Türkiye (AA) - A French cyclist on an international biking journey to raise awareness of global warming has entered Türkiye and is due to cross the country, from the picturesque northeast to the sparkling Mediterranean in the south.

Nabil Ennasri, 41, a French citizen of Moroccan origin, began his biking trek in Paris and is due to finish his journey in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Entering Türkiye from Edirne, a Turkish city west of Istanbul, he said he was excited to retrace the traditional journey of Muslim pilgrims.

Ennasri got on his bike on April 22 and reached Türkiye after crossing through 10 countries.

At night, he sleeps in a trailer that his friends are driving behind him, and he shares his story on social media.

In Edirne, the cyclist told Anadolu that he had already traveled 2,850 kilometers (1,771 miles).

"My goal is to warn people, particularly inside the Muslim community, about global warming, about the fact that we have to face this most important challenge for our generation," he explained.

On his emotions on reaching Edirne, Ennasri said: "During my childhood, I was very interested in the history of the Ottoman Empire. So to be here is for me an important and wonderful moment. Because it was the city of birth of Fatih Sultan Mehmed, and he's very well-known in Islamic history.”

Mehmed, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror (Fatih), is famed for his 1453 conquest of Istanbul, which became the Ottoman capital, and is now a major metropolis and commercial hub.

Praising Edirne’s Selimiye Mosque, he called it “one of the most beautiful mosques in Türkiye and in the Islamic heritage. So history is going to speak with me now. So it is an important moment for me to live this moment and to remind (myself) what happened in these territories because the Ottoman Empire played a great role in Muslim history."

Ennasri will continue to the Mediterranean province of Antalya in the south before taking a plane to Jordan to continue his journey.