Date: Tuesday, 3 June 2025; 8th Annul Day.
Sponsor: United Nations
Objective:
World Bicycle Day is annually celebrated for the following purposes:
- To recognize the uniqueness and versatility of bicycles and their reliability and sustainability as a mode of transportation.
- To highlight the importance of non-motorized transportation in achieving sustainable development goals and combating the climate crisis.
Inception:
World Bicycle Day was celebrated for the first time on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
History:
The idea of World Bicycle Day has its roots in a sociology class project exploring bicycles and their role in development. Professor Leszek Sibilski initiated the project in Maryland, USA, in 2015. It soon catapulted into a massive movement backed by Sustainable Mobility for All, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization. Turkmenistan and 56 other countries further supported and co-sponsored the movement.
On April 12, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (A/RES/72/272) declaring June 3 each year as “World Bicycle Day”. The resolution was unanimously adopted by all 193 member states of the UN General Assembly.
The resolution acknowledged “the uniqueness, longevity, and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation, fostering environmental stewardship and health.”
Why do we mark World Bicycle Day?
Bicycles are a simple, affordable, and popular tool of transportation. Bicycling, as a moderately intense physical activity, has significant benefits for physical and mental health. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and even death. In addition, bicycling, as a popular sport, can help strengthen spirits, improve education, promote social inclusion, and cultivate a culture of peace.
Bicycle is also a clean, safe, environmentally fit, and sustainable means of transportation. Bicycling doesn’t generate any greenhouse gas emissions, so it can help to improve air quality and mitigate climate warming. In the era of global warming, bicycles as a sustainable tool of transportation instead of motor vehicles can help to reduce the usage of fossil fuels, bolster the fight against climate change, and contribute to achieving sustainable development goals.
Official website:
www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day
