Date: Friday, 3 June 2022; 5th Anniversary.
Sponsor: United Nations
Objective:
The World Bicycle Day is annually celebrated to recognize the uniqueness and versatility of bicycle as well as its reliability and sustainability as a mode of transportation. The Day highlights the importance of non-motorized transportation in achieving the sustainable development goals and combating climate crisis.
History:
The World Bicycle Day was celebrated for the first time on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The idea of World Bicycle Day has its root in a sociology class project exploring bicycles and their role in development. The project was initiated by Professor Leszek Sibilski in Maryland, USA in 2015 and soon catapulted into a massive movement backed by ‘Sustainable Mobility for All” – an U.S.-based nonprofit organization. The movement was further supported and co-sponsored by Turkmenistan and 56 other countries.
On April 12, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (A/RES/72/272) declaring June 3 of 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?
Bicycle is a simple, affordable, and popular tool of transportation. Bicycling as a physical activity of moderate intensity has significant benefits for both physical and mental health. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and even death. In addition, bicycling as a popularly applicable sport can help to 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, bicycle as a sustainable tool of transportation instead of motor vehicle can help to reduce the usage of fossil fuels, bolster the fight against climate change, and contribute to achieving sustainable development goals.
Official websites: www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day
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