News

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The preparations for the Velo-city 2009 conference are in full swing. The next edition of this bi-annual event is taking place from May 12-15th in Brussels. Velo-city is generally considered to be the largest conference devoted to cycling in the world.

Because of the mixed target groups that attend the conferences, Velo-city 2009 is structured along four conference lines. These are:

• Leaders: a benchmarks of urban cycling, experiences of top level cycling cities/regions.
• Followers: promising cities/regions, (cycling) projects with high potential for cycle use.
• Tourism: catalyst effects of tourism on daily use cycling.
• Europe: tasks of Europe to stimulate cycling.

The main conference theme is Re-cycling. All sessions will focus on the role and potential of cycling in an urban environment.

All Velo-city participants are invited to submit an abstract for a poster presentation. All posters will be presented at the permanent poster exhibition at the Velo-city café. The three best poster presentations are selected by the Velo-city participants during the first three conference days. These posters will then be presented in the European Parliament on the last Velo-city day, 15 May 2009.

Objectives of Velo-city

The organization of this event has formulated two main objectives of next year’s conference. The aim for the Brussels-Capital Region where Velo-city 2009 takes place is to present high-standard cycling infrastructures. Velo-city hopes to gain recognition for cycling to be incorporated in a sustainable transport policy.

On a European level Velo-city wants to ensure that greater consideration is given to cycling in all transport-related policies, particularly in urban environments. On top of that, the conference wants to create recognition of the positive impact that cycling has on health and the environment.

Velo-city 2009 is expected to be concluded with the signing of the ‘Charter of Brussels’, in which European cities undertake to continue to invest in cycling policy, as well as the involvement of the European Commission.

• For related items on Velo-city, click here
• For related items on European Commission, click here