This Sunday, September 16, Vilnius residents and guests of the capital are invited to Lukiškiau Square, which will bring together citizens moving on bicycles, rollerblades, scooters and other alternative means. European Mobility Week will be opened as a symbolic event in the capital, during which Vilnius residents are encouraged to change their movement habits in the city and go to work, educational institutions or leisure places not by car, but by a chosen environmentally friendly means of transport, the capital's record-breaking public transport or on foot .
European Mobility Week is celebrated every year on September 16-22. and is dedicated to a specific topic related to sustainable movement. This year, the theme of the Mobility Week initiated by the European Commission is "Multimodality of Transport", reminding Europeans to try various sustainable means of transport and combine them with each other for their mobility in the city. The motto of this year's European Mobility Week is "Mix & Move". It will also be reflected on September 16. at the upcoming event Lukiškiai square, which gives Vilnius city municipality, JSC "Communication services" and the Ministry of Transport.
"The European Mobility Week is a great opportunity to challenge ourselves and try to travel around the city in a different way than we are used to - more environmentally friendly, flexible and interesting. The theme of this year's initiative invites you to discover and try different ways of moving around the city. And on the occasion of the opening of the European Mobility Week, we invite everyone to gather, share their impressions with like-minded people, as if to infect each other with the "virus" of such a movement. In addition, we encourage you to travel not by car, but by choosing alternative means of transport, such as the scooter and the rapidly renewing public transport. We invite you to choose sustainable means of transport not only during the mobility week, but also afterwards - this way we will contribute to freeing the streets from congestion, reduce air pollution and noise in the city", says Modesta Gusarovienė, director of "Susisiekimos paslaugos" SĮ.
In Lukiškės Square, there is a zone for entertainment and discussions about sustainable mobility
September 16 from 12:17 to XNUMX:XNUMX On the occasion of the opening of the European Mobility Week, a special discussion, recreation and entertainment zone will be established in Lukiškiau Square, where conversations, exercises, music and various entertainment will be held.
During the event, those gathered will be able to participate in discussions. In one of them - "Why we move sustainably" - the founder and designer of "Citybirds" Ignas Survila, writer Rasa Sagė, sustainable mobility expert Kristina Gaučė, physiotherapist Eimantas Žeimys and wellness motivator Vlada Musvydaitė will discuss about sustainable alternatives for movement in the city and their importance. The discussion will be moderated by TV host Ugnė Galadauskaitė.
During the event, there will also be a discussion about the Vilnius sustainable mobility plan and its practical benefits for the citizens. Deputy Mayor of Vilnius Linas Kvedaravičius, head of Vilnius administration Povilas Poderskis, one of the organizers of the Sustainable Mobility Plan Marius Berulis will participate in the discussion, Žemartas Budrys, representative of the company Homoeminems, will share anthropological insights.
"The big cities of Lithuania are suffocating from air pollution caused by vehicles, the main streets are jammed with cars at peak times, so it is simply necessary to talk about sustainable mobility and a different way of traveling - this is the purpose of our discussions at the event. In general, it is difficult to give up old habits, it is not easy to change them, and choosing a traditional mode of transportation for daily trips is no exception. In order to change this situation at least a little, we need to familiarize the residents with alternative ways of traveling, their advantages, availability and usage possibilities", says Jonas Damidavičius, sustainable mobility expert of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The participants of the event will be invited and entertained - an inflatable obstacle course will await children and parents, and the first 200 children who arrived at the event on a scooter, skateboard, bicycle, scooter or other alternative means of transport will be awarded special European Mobility Week commemorative medals. Those who came to the event will also be able to exercise together with wellness motivator Vlada Musvydaite, the founder of the #Walk15 initiative promoting physical activity and movement, try out various scooters and learn how to use them safely. In addition, the participants of the event will be invited to mark their bikes in a special tent set up by the Lithuanian Police and thus protect it from long-fingered people.
From September 6 SĮ "Susiakiemos paslaugos" organizes a photo contest #PasirinkIrJudaj and on the company's social website www.facebook.com/susisiekimo.pasluagos everyone who wants to is invited to share their photos and impressions of alternative movement to work or around the city. The winners of this competition will be selected and awarded at the opening event of the European Mobility Week.
European Mobility Week will continue until September 22, which is known throughout Europe as International Car Free Day. On this day, residents of the capital and guests of the city will be invited to travel for free on all the capital's buses and trolleybuses - all you need is a valid driver's license. This year, this day also coincides with Pope Francis' visit to Vilnius, so it will be more convenient for all Vilnius residents and those visiting the city to travel by public transport.
European Mobility Week opening event #PasirinkIrJuděk will take place on September 16, in Lukiškių Square from 12:17 to XNUMX:XNUMX.
