Prague Diplomatic Cycling Coalition supports cycling for healthy and sustainable environment

Acknowledging 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, the UN General Assembly decided to declare 3 June World Bicycle Day.

On this World Bicycle Day, we, the Prague Diplomatic Cycling Coalition, express our support for the promotion and encouragement of cycling in Czechia as well as in our home countries. We come from nations with diverse transport backgrounds and topographic conditions – from the windy flatlands of the Netherlands to the warm hills of Lisbon and the busy streets of megacities such as Berlin, Buenos Aires, Paris, New York and Mexico City. What we have in common is a shared conviction that cycling deserves more priority as a sustainable, efficient, and healthy mode of transport with a positive impact on the economy.

Over the past few years, we have seen developments that have made cycling more relevant and attractive than ever: as a way to move around safely during the COVID-19 pandemic; as a vehicle that is affordable and environment friendly, limits climate change, and helps solve congestion in cities across the world.

The urgency to prioritize cycling has been confirmed by several recent initiatives. Passing the Resolution A/RES/76/255, the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 invited “all Member States to integrate the bicycle into public transportation, … improve road safety, and promote the use of bicycles by people and businesses to increase bicycle trips, which in turn contributes to the achievement of sustainable development, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions”.

During the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the European Council, Commission and Parliament adopted the European Declaration on Cycling, the first inter-institutional cycling policy at the European level. The Declaration took several years of efforts by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) with support of national cyclists’ organizations in all EU Member States. “In order to reach its full potential, cycling needs to be properly addressed in urban mobility policies at all levels of governance and funding, transport planning, awareness raising, allocation of space, safety regulations and adequate infrastructure, including a special focus on persons with disabilities or reduced mobility”, the EU Declaration proclaims.

The Prague Diplomatic Cycling Coalition stands united in supporting cycling policies in Czechia. Czechia has made progress over the past decade in establishing its cycling infrastructure. To realize its full cycling potential, we support further implementation of policies tailored to the specific needs of Czech cities and regions. Steps could include:

Further development of safe and preferably separate cycling infrastructure to suit local characteristics and needs;
Assessing where traffic regulations could be made more bicycle friendly;
Making available more resources for cycling infrastructure and traffic calming measures;
Setting up campaigns – such as “Světová cyklojízda v Praze” – to stimulate cycling and raise citizens’ awareness of its benefits; and
Lowering of speed limits in city centres.

Czech citizens are similar to our own in that they have legitimate concerns about safety, infrastructure limitations and other potential bottlenecks. Our experiences show that through a dialogue among stakeholders, including communities, cycling organizations, and citizens, these concerns can be addressed and overcome, and cycling would be fully embraced by growing number of people including vulnerable and children.

Endorsements

Ambassador of Austria
Bettina Kirnbauer

Ambassador of Belgium
Jurgen Van Meirvenne

Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Martina Mlinarević

Ambassador of Canada
Emily McLaughlin

Ambassador of Croatia
Ljiljana Pancirov

Ambassador of Cyprus
George Yiangou

Ambassador of Denmark
Søren Kelstrup

Ambassador of Finland
Pasi Tuominen

Ambassador of France
Stéphane Crouzat

Ambassdor of Greece
Athanassios Paressoglou

Ambassador of Iraq
Falah Abdulhasan Abdulsada

Ambassador of Italy
Mauro Marsili

Ambassador of Japan
Nagaoka Kansuke

Ambassador of Kosovo
Albesjana Iberhysaj Kapitaj

Ambassador of Latvia
Elita Kuzma

Ambassador of Luxemburg
Ronald Dofing

Ambassador of Malaysia
Suzilah Binti Mohd Sidek

Ambassador of Mexico
Ana Berenice Díaz Ceballos Parada

Ambassador of Moldova
Alexandru Codreanu

Ambassador of the Netherlands
Daan Huisinga

Ambassador of Pakistan
Ayesha Ali

Ambassador of Poland
Mateusz Gniazdowski

Ambassador of Portugal
Luís de Almeida Sampaio

Ambassador of Romania
Maria-Antoaneta Barta

Ambassador of Slovakia
Ingrid Brocková

Ambassador of Slovenia
Tanja Strniša

Ambassador of Spain
Alberto Moreno Humet

Ambassador of Sweden
Fredrik Jörgensen

Ambassador of Switzerland
Philippe Gérald Guex

Ambassador of the United Kingdom
Matt Field

Ambassador of the United States of America
Bijan Sabet

Vatican – Apostolic Nuncio
Jude Thaddeus Okolo

Chargé d’Affaires of Chile
Carlos Gajardo

Chargé d’Affaires of India
Abhijit Chakraborty

Charge d’Affaires of Myanmar
Htuann Naung

Charge d’Affaires of Norway
Per Øystein Vatne

Charge d’Affaires of Ukraine
Vitalij Usatyj

Head of the OSCE Documentation Centre in Prague
Irena Krasnická

Head of the UN Information Centre for Czechia
Michal Broža

photo: Jan Hromádko