EU Info Centre marked European Mobility Week with educational and entertaining workshops for children

Under this year’s theme – “Choose. Change. Combine.” – children from the primary schools Musa Ćazim Ćatić in Sarajevo and Kulin Ban in Visoko joined the “European Mobility Week” campaign by taking part in educational and entertaining workshops for the youngest cyclists. It is an annual campaign for sustainable mobility through cities, which was marked across Europe from September 16 to 22 and this year 42 countries and more than two thousand European towns and cities participated.

Opening the workshop in Sarajevo, Head of Operations Section for Economic Development, Natural Resources and Infrastructure at the Delegation of the EU in BiH Martin Schieder, said:

“The European Mobility Week is an excellent opportunity to encourage everyone to think more than usual about mobility, environmental protection and the negative health consequences that we all experience due to overuse of private cars for everyday travel – including low physical activity and exposure to air pollution and traffic accidents.“

Pointing out that these problems could be reduced by a greater switch to other transport modes, Schieder recalled this year’s theme “Choose. Change. Combine” inviting everybody to combine transport options available to avoid overuse of cars.  During the workshops, professional trainers from the cycling club “Giro di Sarajevo,” made the children acquainted with traffic rules for cyclists, cycling techniques and competitive cycling.

“Our activities were directed towards children and improving their knowledge about cycling in traffic. It is very important for children to master the driving techniques in order to properly and safely move in traffic,” said Nisad Selimović, President of the Association.

The highlight of the Europe-wide campaign is “European Car Free Day” which is marked every year on 22 September. This day promotes the development of cycling and other non-motorized transport in urban and rural areas, to contribute to a healthier, wealthier and better quality lifestyle.

The European Mobility Week was established in 2002 and it is supported by the European Commission.

More info about the European Mobility Week can be found on: www.mobilityweek.eu

Europa.ba