3rd June to be recognised as World Bicycle Day
Posted on in Cycles News
The United Nations has declared June 3rd as World Bicycle Day.
On 12 April 2018 the UN General Assembly came together for their 72nd Regular Session and it was agreed by a consensus of 193 member states that a day to celebrate the worldwide promotion of cycling will be held on 3rd June.
"We are extremely happy with this declaration," said Dr. Bernhard Ensink, Secretary General of the World Cycling Alliance (WCA) and the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) who has campaigned for a UN designated World Bicycle Day since 2016. "Cycling is a source for social, economic and environmental benefits - and it is bringing people together. This UN declaration is an acknowledgment of the contribution of cycling to the sustainable development goals."
The WCA and ECF delivered a document titled ‘Cycling Delivers on the Global Goals!' to the UN back in 2015 in which it is shown that cycling delivers directly on at least 12 of the 17 sustainable development goals. Making transportation more sustainable is of critical importance for humanity and the planet. When delivering the report, the WCA and ECF highlighted that active mobility is a human right on all scales - including the right to cycle. Governments at all levels should provide safe access to public space, protect those that walk and cycle, and ensure - through mobility - equal participation in society.
The UN invites all Member States and relevant stakeholders to celebrate and promote awareness of the World Bicycle Day. The declaration encourages Member States to devote particular attention to the bicycle in cross-cutting development strategies and to include the bicycle in international, regional, national and subnational development policies and programs. H.E. Ambassador, Aksoltan Ataeva, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, introduced the draft resolution, co-sponsored by 56 countries, to the General Assembly for the vote.