Cycling Experts & Professionals Gather at Velo-city Global 2010

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The capital of Denmark will host the first global edition of the Velo-city conference series on cycling which will take place from June 22-25. This year’s conference theme is:  "Different Gears - Same Destination"; meaning that despite our differences, we are all heading in the same direction.

"We come from different backgrounds, are at different stages and might have different challenges, depending on whether we live in New York, Rio or Amsterdam, but we share the common goal of getting more people cycling throughout the world,” says Manfred Neun, President of the European Cyclists Federation (ECF) who is organizing the conference together with the City of Copenhagen.

Neun: “We are ready to welcome decision-makers, experts, consultants and representatives of both the industry and NGOs to the first global edition of the Velo-city conference series on cycling. We will have speakers such as European Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, environmentalist and philosopher Dr. Vandana Shiva, New York City Commissioner for Transport Janette Sadik-Khan, President of the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy and former Mayor of Bogotá (Colombia) Enrique Peñalosa and urban planner and cycling advocate, Mikael Colville-Andersen, editor of the website copenhagenize.com.”

Simultaneously with Velo-city Global Conference, a variety of side events will be organized in Copenhagen. The overall theme for these public events will be “I Bike CPH - Sommerdage i Cykelbyen” (Summer days in the city of cycling). The Bike Parade and the Bike Parade Lounge are part of the official conference programme. The events taking place in Halmtrovet and around Copenhagen are primarily organized to engage the citizens of Copenhagen and bring them closer to the Velo-city conference. Join these events and meet the Copenhageners. All the events are open to the public and free of charge.

“Halmtorvet”, a square just next to Øksnehallen, the conference venue, will host a series of cycling-related events especially targeted at Copenhageners in order to celebrate the special Copenhagen bicycle culture. The events are spread over three days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and will include a Bike Tournament, a Bike Film Night, and an AlleyCat race.