The European Mobility Week (EMW) is celebrated across the country with activities between 16-22 September and the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT) is the national coordinator of EMW with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Delegation of the European Union.
Within the scope of the European Mobility Week, the "Discover Altındağ with Bicycle Movement" event was held in the opening program was hosted by Altındağ Municipality. The event started with a bicycle ride accompanied by the participants in front of the Second Parliament Building of Türkiye (Republic Museum) and continued at the Başkent Millet Bahçesi.
In the opening program, UMT Secretary General Dr. Hayri Baraçlı, Mayor of Altındağ Municipality Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asım Balcı, Head of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı took part with their speeches.
Baraçlı: “We are on the way to become the country with the most activities this year, together with our municipalities”
UMT Secretary General Dr. Hayri Baraçlı said that he is proud and honored to be the coordinator of the European Mobility Week and stated that many events will be organized during the EMW. Baraçlı thanked Altındağ Municipality for the enthusiastic and well-attended opening event, underlined that the European Mobility Week is a project aimed at sustainable, clean and healthy living conditions in cities. Baraçlı continued his speech with the following words: “I would like to proudly share that the participation from our country to the European Mobility Week, which has been going on since 2002, has increased rapidly since we started working as the national coordinator, and we have become the country with the highest participation in the last two years. This year, Türkiye reached 492 participants, Spain 478 and Austria 472 participants. Again, we became the country with the highest participation in Europe. This year, we are on the way to become the country with the most activities together with our municipalities.”
Meyer-Landrut: “We should walk more, cycle more and use more public transport”
Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut said he was happy to attend the event and made a speech drawing attention to the importance of climate change and active living. Meyer-Landrut, “We all experience epidemics, floods, droughts, but we know that the solution to climate change is to reduce carbon emissions. In fact, we all have the same goal to achieve a carbon neutral environment by the middle of this century. Although this time seems far away, it is actually very close. Urban transportation is an important factor that increases carbon emissions. We need to think again about this. We need to change our habits and municipalities need to invest more. We should walk more, cycle more and use public transport. These will make cities more livable.” Meyer-Landrut thanked the UMT and other stakeholder institutions and said, “Because only with your help we could create such awareness and this change can only be achieved through awareness.”
Kaymakcı: “Türkiye is the most active country in Europe”
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı reminded that Türkiye is the country that organizes the most events in Europe at the moment and said, “Türkiye is the most active country in Europe. This must not be forgotten. If we can turn this energy into a positive agenda, we can increase our cooperation in every field in Türkiye and the European Union relations and realize projects that will benefit all of us together. If we can reduce emissions in urban transportation by cycling and walking, we will live cleaner and more sustainably.”
Making a short speech at the opening, Mayor of Altındağ Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asım Balcı expressed that he found the event organized jointly with the UMT is very meaningful and wished the program to go well.
After the opening speeches, participants visited the events area.
Different events was organized for raising awareness
Within the scope of the activities, VR bicycle experience, interactive bicycle, bicycle repair workshop, bicycle track competitions, skateboarding and skating activities, waste collection contest, folk dances and stage shows will be held throughout the day.