You may not know it, but September 16 marked the beginning of the European Mobility Week. The event, which has been held since 1999 and has been supported by the European Commission since 2000, runs until September 22, coinciding with Car-Free Day. A day in which we are all invited to leave our cars in the garage, and resort to, or even discover, other ways of getting around our town or city.
The aim is to raise awareness of the environmental and public health benefits that derive from the use of sustainable mobility, as well as showcasing to relevant authorities the need to develop policies that promote it.
The underlying theme around which this year’s event revolves is energy efficiency, while the motto chosen for this and subsequent editions has been Mix and Move! With it, the European Commission aims to promote more active mobility through a greater commitment to public transport and other sustainable solutions, including electric mobility.
But how is European Mobility Week celebrated? Through multiple activities, or #mobilityactions, as the organizers call them, which are held during these days in the cities and towns participating in this initiative.
For the 2023 edition, the 22nd, there are more than 1,200 actions being carried out in a total of 51 countries all over the world. In the ranking of participating countries, Spain stands out in first place, where the number of town councils registered to participate in the initiative is close to 400. It is followed by Italy, with 134 registered councils, and France, with 129.
Many different kinds of activities will be carried out to commemorate this event. From those aimed at children, with the aim of raising awareness about the benefits of the responsible use of transport, as well as strengthening their knowledge about road safety, to talks, workshops and conferences on sustainable mobility, including exhibitions or marches on foot or using sustainable transport.
The large number of initiatives planned for these days makes it impossible to mention all of them (although here is a full list), but we wanted to highlight some in case they take place near you:
. Ecological Cars Exhibition. It will take place in the Plaza del Pilar in Zaragoza (Spain) on Tuesday the 19th. It is an exhibition organized by the Spanish Association of Ecological Automobiles to show the latest developments in terms of mobility.
. Seminar on Sustainable Mobility at Work. It will take place on the 21st at the Energikontor headquarters in Mälardalen (Sweden), although it can also be followed online.
. Children’s Theater. The Katua&Galea theater group presents the play My City, made up of three stories in which mobility and transportation play an important role. The function will take place in Avilés (Spain) on September 22.
. Let’s Walk and Save Energy. This is the motto of the walking and cycling marches organized for September 19 in Istanbul, with the aim of allowing residents to discover their city in a different way.
. Drive a tram. This week, in Krakow (Poland) it is possible to enjoy the experience of driving a tram using a state-of-the-art simulator.
. Painting competition. How good are you at drawing? If you are in Almería (Spain), you can take part in this competition organized by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
. Children’s cinema. The animated film The Triplets of Belleville (2003) will be screened at the Arsenale cinema in Pisa (Italy) , starring a child who is given a bicycle. That gift will change his life forever.
. Explore the possibilities of sustainable mobility. Marseille (France) has set out to make all its citizens and visitors aware of the different sustainable mobility alternatives offered by the city. It will do so through different activities organized by the Maison de l’Emploi de Marseille within the framework of the European Mobility Week.
