Philanthropy

Philanthropy

Israel Cycling Academy

Besides maximizing value for shareholders and investors, Peace Park and its founders also operate in a way that benefits society.

Israeli businessman Ron Baron founded Israel Cycling Academy in 2014. He had a vision of generating a revolution in this underdeveloped sport in Israel which – at the time – provided few opportunities for aspiring young cyclists.

The team’s ambition was to provide an opportunity for talented young cyclists to compete in the international arena and also promote the country worldwide. They hoped it would provide inspiration, hope and faith to many future generations of Israelis.

Soon after, Sylvan Adams, an Israeli-Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, joined the project as co-owner, greatly accelerating the team’s development.

In 2020 the team was granted a UCI WorldTour license, moving Israel Start-Up Nation, as it was then known, into the major league of cycling. The team’s dream to get an Israeli rider to the Tour de France was achieved in 2020 – the team also won stages in the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta de España.

For the 2022 season, Canadian company Premier Tech and its CEO Jean Bélanger came onboard as the new co-title partner.

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The Field of Dreams

To coincide with the Tour de France, Israel-Premier Tech launched its most ambitious campaign to date – a fundraiser to build the ‘Field of Dreams’ bike center at the Community of Hope in Bugesera, Rwanda, as part of the team’s Racing For Change initiative.

The Field of Dreams will comprise a complex of race tracks that will help change the lives of the Bugesera community and the wider Rwandan community. This center will be dedicated to enriching the lives of thousands of youngsters, serving as an educational tool to develop their skills in cycling and beyond.

The completed complex will offer 120,000 students in the Bugesera district between the ages of six and 18 the opportunity to develop their skills, thrive, and achieve success through cycling. After adopting the only women’s cycling team in Rwanda (Bugesera Cycling Team) last year, the impact of the first phase of the Racing for Change project was immediately felt as the women’s team progressed quickly under the supervision of IPT coaches and staff.