Dreaming on wheels in Ljubljana
An exhibition by the Embassy of Denmark, Dreams on Wheels - Danish Cycling Culture for Urban Sustainability, is taking place in Ljubljana City Hall from May 3 to May 10, 2010. A series of accompanying events have also been proposed.
These events have been named May 2010 - Month of Cycling, because they are all related to promoting cycling as a convenient, sustainable urban transport mode. Dreams on Wheels is promoting urban cycling as a viable personal transportation alternative and gathers the best practices from Denmark’s leading example, from cultural planning, innovative industrial design and city planning. The exhibition consists of a variety of bicycles, ranging from functional bikes to funny and modern bikes, showcasing Danish Cycling Tradition, bicycle design, and urban planning, as well as a comprehensive collection of photos and posters. The exhibition displays two main parts that link to making cities a more livable, environmentally friendly and socially exciting place through focus on the bicycle as a Danish Cultural Icon. Denmark is using bicycles as an integrated part of the transport system, partially due to education efforts, high car prizes, and the result of well-developed bicycle friendly infrastructure (i.e. cycle-paths, separate bicycle roads, preferential positions at road-crossing etc.). The Embassy of Denmark, Ljubljana hopes the exhibition can help to emphasis the multiple advantages of biking, rather than driving. To bike is more convenient, faster, healthier and environmentally friendlier, so why not jump on the bike next time you have to go around in Ljubljana?Many other events in May, much like the exhibition, will emphasize the positive effects of cycling. A group of climate change activists organised a competition, Troikas cycling to work, which is a part of the British Council\'s and Umanotera\'s project Challenge Europe. Its aim is to encourage employees to use bicycles instead of cars to come to work and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Troikas from any company can join competition - three co-workers as one group, who will cycle to work in May. Every participant will get points for each cycling day and the most successful troikas will be rewarded at the end of competition. Climate change activists will also inform about how much CO2 emissions were saved because of cycling to work. More information about this is available at /www.vtroje.si, where you can also register for the competition.
Author: Vita Kontić
