As an opening of the European Mobility Week (EMW) in September 2019, Vilnius invited its residents and guests to use and explore various means of transport. The ceremony was called „City hike: car, I’m sorry” (#AtleiskAutomobili!). For the first time, people travelling by bikes, scooters, skateboards, walking, etc. (🚌🚲🚶♀️🛴🚶♂️🚎) travelled from different sites of the city and gathered in one place – a square by the Parliament building. Some of the people travelled only one kilometre, yet most of them travelled 3-6 and more kilometres. When all gathered in one place, they moved, walked, rolled ahead just 1 kilometre!
The idea was to simply enjoy a car-free street and to show everybody that alternative means of transport are healthy and a great pleasure. The entire day, the square in the very centre of the city attracted the eyes of people walking by, and created a lot of smiles, enabled establishing new contacts, enjoying the time spent together, winning prises, and listening to live music.
On the World Car Free Day, which was celebrated on September 22nd, Vilnius organized an extraordinary event – „Skating Superheroes“ as a part of the project „Vilnius Night Skating“. Participants were invited to explore all possible means of sustainable mobility – bikes, scooters, skateboards, roller skates, record-breaking public transport, and what not (#NightSkatingVilnius2019).
It was the second mass rolling of superheroes in Vilnius this year (total - the fifth) and attracted numerous participants from various places of the country. Such events are popular in many the countries with quite developed skating/rolling traditions. The organizers of the event in Vilnius very much hope that it will become one of the biggest events nation-wide, and in the future will attract skaters/rollers from abroad. Participants of the event were accompanied by a security company, which allowed them to feel safe and secure.
During the entire week quite a few of other attractive events were arranged:
- Sportive or agile excursion (organized by Vilnius City Municipal Public Health Bureau („Judri ekskursija“ Vilniaus senamiestyje)
- Orientation competition „Vilnius moves“ (Orientavimosi varžybos „Vilnius juda“);
- Meeting at Traffic Management Department of the Municipal Enterprise „Susisiekimo paslaugos“;
- Nordic walking hike „MOVE, Vilnius “;
- Presentation of the first electric busses in Vilnius „Sensory travelling; generaion of electricity“ (Pojūčių kelionės: elektros karta);
- A discussion „Sharing the Road“, organized by the Ministry of Transport and Communications“;
- A Dancing Square (Šokanti aikštė I Open Streets Day 2019), organized by a municipal non-profit organization „Healthy City“ and a club “Proaktyvus”;
- An international day without a car – free-of-charge public transport
Text: Birutė Jatautaitė, Public Transport Department of Vilnius | Photos: S.Ziura
