Velo-city

The objectives of the Velo-city series are:

1. Spread high quality knowledge, good new information about cycling, and transport planning at the international level.
2. Cities with good cycling policies showcase the benefits they provide to their citizens, businesses and others through the conference generated publicity.
3. Encourage the recognition of cycling as an efficient, healthy, environmentally-friendly mode of transport, and to promote its greater use.
4. Integration of cycle planning into transport, land-use planning and other relevant policy sectors where cycling plays an important role.
5. Seek involvement from all relevant stakeholders.[1]

The conference is hosted by a different city each year. Before the corona pandemic, it was held with odd-numbered years held in Europe and even-numbered years held outside of Europe. Cities bid to host the conference and are selected by the ECF Board.[2]

Conferences have been held in these locations with the following themes:

1. 1980 – Bremen, Germany
2. 1984 – London, United Kingdom
3. 1987 – Groningen, Netherlands, "Planning for the urban cyclist"
4. 1989 – Copenhagen, Denmark, "How to make people use the bicycle"
5. 1991 – Milano, Italy, "The bicycle: improving mobility and the environment in our cities"
6. 1992 – Montreal, Canada
7. 1993 – Nottingham, United Kingdom
8. 1995 – Basel, Switzerland, "The bicycle, symbol of sustainable transport"
9. 1996 – Ferrara, Italy
10. 1997 – Barcelona, Spain
11. 1999 – Graz, Austria and Maribor, Slovenia[3]
12. 2001 – Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland[4]
13. 2003 – Paris, France[5]
14. 2005 – Dublin, Ireland, "Delivering the vision"
15. 2007 – Munich, Germany[6]
16. 2009 – Brussels, Belgium[7]
17. 2010 – Copenhagen, Denmark[8]
18. 2011 – Seville, Spain[9]
19. 2013 – Vienna, Austria[10]
20. 2014 – Adelaide, Australia[11]
21. 2015 – Nantes, France[12]
22. 2016 – Taipei City, Taiwan[13]
23. 2017 – Arnhem and Nijmegen, Netherlands[14] "Freedom of Cycling"
24. 2018 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil[15]
25. 2019 – Dublin, Ireland, "Cycling for the Ages"[16][17]
26. 2021 – Lisbon, Portugal[18] "Cycle Diversity"
27. 2022 – Ljubljana, Slovenia[19] "Smart Cycling Inclusion"

Next conferences:

1. 2023 – Leipzig, Germany, "Leading the transition"
2. 2024 – Ghent, Belgium[20]

Velo-city returns to the Netherlands with Velo-city 2017 in Arnhem-Nijmegen region. With the theme "Freedom of Cycling", this edition of Velo-city will focus on 5 subthemes:[21]

• Infrastructure: Learn, experience, and put it into practice
• People: Different people, different ideas, different choices
• Bikenomics: Cycling saves and generates money
• Urban planning: Cycling in a digitalizing world
• Governance: How do they do it?

Taipei, Taiwan Velo-city Global 2016 makes its first visit to Asia, in the Bicycle Kingdom – Taiwan.

Themes

1. Evolution of Cycling

Adelaide Velo-city Global 2014 celebrated what is great about bike riding. This was explored by conference delegates through three key themes and greater depth was achieved by looking at these themes through four key lenses.

Themes

1. Setting the stage – places and spaces
2. Tales worth celebrating – people, communities and journeys, and
3. Celebrations to come – cultural change.

Lenses

1. Lens 1 – The Facts
2. Lens 2 – Leadership
3. Lens 3 – Policy, strategy, planning and partnerships
4. Lens 4 – Creativity and Innovation

The traditional Velo-city bicycle parade in Vienna with 4200 participants.

More than 1400 delegates gathered from all continents for the largest cycling-themed conference, the Velo-city 2013, held in Vienna, Austria from 11 to 14 June. Building on established Velo-city discourse topics such as mobility, ecology and climate, health, the economy, resources, time and space, and social policy, the motto of the Velo-city 2013 conference, which took place in the Rathaus, was framed as “The Sound of Cycling – Urban Cycling Cultures“ with three main themes: cycling cultures, cycling cities, and cycling benefits.

Randy Neufeld at Velo-city Global 2012 in Vancouver

The Velo-city Global 2012 took place in Vancouver, Canada from 26 to 29 June 2012 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel. After Copenhagen in 2010, this was the second Global Edition of the Velo-city conference series.[24] The Conference brought together around 950 participants including 150 speakers and 155 exhibitors.

The City of Vancouver has been voted as the World's Most Liveable City by The Economist three years in a row, from 2008 to 2010 and the city itself has displayed a steady commitment to making Vancouver a cycle-friendly city. According to its Greenest City Action Plan, Vancouver has a vision of being the greenest city in the world by 2020. Green Transportation is one of the 10 goal areas, with two main targets:

1. make over 50% of trips on foot, bicycle and public transit
2. reduce distance driven per resident by 20%[25]

The conference was held under the motto “Cities in Motion”, following the ambition to bring together cycling cities from all around the world in order to share best practices for becoming cycling-friendly cities.

Aims

The City of Vancouver and European Cyclists' Federation, as organizers of Velo-city Global 2012, sought to highlight the achievements of Vancouver as a cycling ‘starter’ city and bring forward European cycling experience, including its fast growth as a mode of transportation, to North America, to the Pacific Rim countries and globally. The primary goal was to bring all relevant stakeholders to Vancouver in order to share best practices for encouraging cycling as a means of transport.

To this effect, Velo-city Global 2012 was held with the following goals:

1. Spread knowledge of quality, positive, evolving information about cycling and transport planning
2. Provide valuable publicity for cities that have good cycling provision networks
3. Encourage the recognition of cycling as an efficient, healthy, environmentally friendly means of transport and recreation
4. Further the integration of cycling planning into transport and land-use planning, and other relevant sectors
5. Seek involvement from all relevant stakeholders, including environment, health and business sectors
6. Provide a wide range of real-world examples of cycling as form of transportation, with benefits to the environment, personal health and economy.

Program

The program of Velo-city Global 2012 was spread over four days and included plenaries, sub-plenaries and concurrent presentations in different formations: lectures, symposiums, workshops, roundtables or Pecha Kucha sessions. Cycling guru Gil Penalosa was the Master of Ceremonies while significant stakeholders and cycling advocates were among the keynote speakers.

The full list of keynote speakers is: Gil Penalosa, Alain Ayotte, Ayfer Baykal, Chang Hsin-Wen, Jerry Dobrovolny, Bernhard Ensink, Aske Wieth-Knudsen, Suzanne Lareau, Manfred Neun, Bob Paddon, Mayor Wan-Su Park, Gordon Price, Mayor Gregor Robertson, Niels Tørsløv, Paul Tranter, Maria Vassilakou, Mayor Stephen Yarwood, Rick Antonson, Adam Bodor, Dale Bracewell, S. K. Jason Chang, Rodney Ellis, Joop Goos, Michel Labrecque, Kevin Mayne, Randy Neufeld, Sten Møller, Gabriel Lagos, Brent Toderian.

Velo-city Global 2012 Vancouver was launched with central theme "Cities in Motion", which expressed the idea of gathering all those cities and regions around the world with great cycling records in Vancouver and having share their stories, inspirations and successes. The program was developed within nine themes in mind.

Core themes

1. Leadership – the politics of change 2. How cycling achieves community aspirations and addresses global problems 3. Essential elements – increasing cycling and safety 4. Empowering people and inclusivity 5. Emerging technologies

Pivotal themes

1. Public Bike Sharing Systems 2. Combined mobility – Cycling integration with Transit, Rail and other Modes 3. Cycling logistics – Movement of goods by bicycle 4. Cycling Tourism

Part of the program was a bike parade of a 9 km route in the heart of the City of Vancouver starting from and ending at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre by going around False Creek through the Burrard Bridge and the Olympic Village. A series of side events were held in the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, at Cecil Green Park House, on Salt Spring Island while an evening event was offered to all the delegates at the Law Courts building in the neighbourhood of the venue.

During Velo-city Global Vancouver, the Cycling Embassy of Denmark announced its yearly “Cycling Leadership Award”, this year going to Randy Neufeld, Director of SRAM Cycling Fund for his dedication to cycling promotion.[26] It was the third time that the Danish Cycling Embassy awarded high-profile figures of cycling advocacy. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Lake Sagaris have received the award the previous two years.[27]

The Velo-city Global 2012 Exhibition was an integral part of the conference with the booths installed in the foyer of the venue among the session rooms where lunch and beverages were offered during the breaks. The exhibitors varied from cycling policy, cycling infrastructure planning and expertise centers to bicycle industry, other cycling friendly businesses and cities or other authorities related to cycling policy.

Gil Penalosa at Velo-city 2011 in Seville

The Velo-city 2011 took place in Seville, Spain from 23 to 25 March 2011 at the Barceló Renacimiento hotel. The conference gathered over 900 participants, and 120 speakers. It featured prominent speakers, such as Gro Harlem Brundtland (former Prime-Minister of Norway, author of the UN's influential ‘Brundtland Report), and also saw the unveiling of the Charter of Seville.[29]

The Velo-city 2011 Seville was the first Mediterranean Velo-city conference in a Spanish-speaking country. So, it set its main focus on the Mediterranean area, North Africa as well as Latin America. The city of Seville, being Spain’s second hottest place, turned out to be a connection to countries with high temperatures where people cycling in such a climate have to face different challenges as ECF has documented in its work.[30]

The central theme of Velo-city 2011 Seville “The Cycle Of Life – El Ciclo De La Vida” referred to the bicycle as a part of everyday life and a source of well-being for people of any age in more inhabitable cities and regions.

Aims

As the moto of the conference (The Cycle of Life) declares, Velo-city Seville primarily aimed at advancing the role of bicycle as part of everyday life and a source of well-being for people of any age in more inhabitable cities and regions.

The Velo-city 2011 in Seville intended to show how a city in the southernmost area in Europe is also possible to invert priorities in favour of sustainable transport and make a significant contribution to the necessary battle against climate change.

Last but not least, the Velo-city 2011 in Seville aimed at drafting and launching the Charter of Seville in preparation for the International Transport Forum 2011 in Leipzig, Germany.

Program

The program of Velo-city 2011 Seville was spread in four days and included both plenary and sub-plenary sessions in different formation: presentations, round tables or workshops. The plenary sessions hosted significant keynote speakers like Gro Harlem Brundtland and Gil Peñalosa who was the Master of Ceremonies.

A full list of keynote speakers is: Francesca Racioppi, Enrique Jacoby, Francesco Tonucci, Lynn Sloman, Pilar Vega, Eva Willumsen, Patrick Kayemba, Joaquín Nieto.[31]

Theme areas of Velo-city 2011 Seville:

1. By Bike, Towards A Healthier City: Cycling as a healthy means of transport – improving the health of citizens and cities alike
2. Learning About Non-Motorised Cities: Lifelong learning – improving our mobility habits
3. Public Investment For A Better Life: The efficiency of cycling investments on sustainable transport and mobility
4. Economy And Employment: Cycling As A Livelihood – the social component of the economics of cycling, a source of employment and development.[32]

A car-free day and a bike parade followed in the end of the conference, inspired by the Latin American car-free Sunday “Ciclovida”.

The Ciclovida programme was organised in the framework of Velo-city Seville and included a series of 5 bicycle events from November 2010 until March 2011 (7 November, 12 December, 16 January, 20 February, 27 March). Ciclovida consists of temporal opening of city streets to its inhabitants, so that they can make the most of a safe, free and lay place for recreation and sport, providing full access to pedestrians and cyclists. By providing the opportunity to exercise, it is considered to prevent illness, to recover and enjoy public spaces, to promote peaceful co-existence, respect, social cohesion and environmental awareness, and to help citizens to acquire healthy habits, to improve air quality and to reduce noise in cities. Thus, it was connected to the theme area of “Healthier City” and the conference's moto “The Cycle of Life”.[33]

The Exhibition during the Velo-city conference was an integrated part of the conference. The parties presented at the exhibition space were from the different fields of cycling policy, cycling infrastructure planning & expertise centers, bicycle industry and other cycling friendly businesses and networks.

Bike Parade at Velo-city Global Copenhagen

The Velo-city 2010 was the first Velo-city Series conference in its global edition and it took place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 22 – 25 June 2010 at the Øksnehallen and CPH CONFERENCE. It was organised by the European Cyclists' Federation, the City of Frederiksberg and the City of Copenhagen. ECF celebrated the 30 years of the Velo-city Series by initiating the biennial global edition of the conference. The Velo-city Global 2010 gathered 1100 participants and highlighted the bicycle's potential to enhance the quality of life around the world and to solve global challenges such as congestion, obesity and climate change. It was connected with the brand of Copenhagen as the climate change city following the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The overall theme of Velo-city 2010 Copenhagen was “Different Gears, Same Destination” expressing the main idea of the conference that despite our differences, we are all heading in the same direction: people from different backgrounds, at different stages and different all share the same goal – getting more people cycling throughout the world. The different background of the participants from all around the world was seen by the organisers as a driving force behind the conference to join forces across continents, regions and cities.

Aims

The Velo-city Global 2010 aimed to show and develop the potential of cycling as an obvious choice on urban transport and a concrete measure in combatting climate change. Additionally it provided inspiration and ideas to concrete actions, whatever the challenges to cycling were. It also aimed to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences across borders and across disciplines. The more than 1100 participants came from very different backgrounds, were at different stages with very different challenges, but the vision for all was clear: getting more people to cycle. All in all, Velo-city Global 2010 in Copenhagen brought together urban planners, politicians, NGOs and bicycle professionals from around the world to discuss the potential and challenges of cycling.

Program

The program of Velo-city Global 2010 was spread over four days and included both plenary and sub-plenary sessions. Each day of the conference started and ended with a plenary session in order to ensure common ground across the variety of backgrounds and experiences. The total 180 sub-plenary sessions ranged in a variety of formats: roundtables, workshops.

The speakers ranged from politicians and experts to Urban Planners to PR Officers with much international experience in local NGOs. Coming from big cities like Shanghai, Santiago, New York to smaller ones like Malmö, Girona and Varde.

A full list of the keynote speakers is: Bo Asmus Kjeldgaard, Connie Hedegaard, Ciarán Cuffe, Frank Jensen, Gil Peñalosa, Jan Gehl, Janette Sadik-Khan, John Whitelegg, Lake Sagaris, Mikael Colville-Andersen, Pan Haixiao, Vandana Shiva.[35]

Each plenary session dealt with one of the following themes:

1. Cycling as quality of life
2. Co-benefits of cycling
3. Social status of cycling
4. Cycling as democracy and freedom
5. Global status of cycling initiatives
6. Creative cycling innovations
7. Collaboration for the Future
8. Cycling and global responsibility

The third day of Velo-city Global 2010, a Bike Parade took place which attracted almost 2000 cycling conference goers and Copenhageners. The parade concluded an impressive sight of many people in all forms, shapes and colours moving slowly through the streets of Copenhagen on their bicycles.

Velo-city Global 2010 Expo

The exhibition was an integrated part of the Velo-city Global 2010. It was based around the plenary room, accessible by the participants during track-free moments, lunch and coffee breaks. Some exhibitors used the chance to get bigger booths while a new trend was developed: more and more cities stated the wish to be present at the next Velo-city's Expo.

Sam Adams speaking at Velo-city 2009 in Brussels

The Velo-city 2009 took place in Brussels, Belgium on 12 – 15 May 2009 at Tour & Taxis. The site is a former industrial storage depot which has been fully restored and is now used for all sorts of events from major fairs through music festivals to exclusive parties. The Conference was organized by ECF and Brussels Capital Region and gathered more than 750 participants.

Program

Velo-city 2009 had a promising program to offer.[36] Beside 4 plenary and 28 sub-plenary sessions with well-known national and international speakers, there were two excursions to Liège and Ghent. A permanent exhibition named Velo-city Expo was organized and then on Sunday took place the Brussels traditional bicycle festival, Dring Dring.

Manfred Neun signing the Charter of Brussels

Theme-titles of the plenary sessions:

1. Visions to transport in future cities
2. Intermodal urban transport
3. A forerunner city
4. A climber city
5. Health and cycling
6. Climate change and urban transport
7. Peak oil and cycling
8. Economy and cycling
9. City planning and communication
10. Successful marketing of cycle use
11. Cycling to school
12. What can we learn from the advertising world?
13. Role of Europe
14. Debate with Members of EU Parliament

Plenary speakers: Antonio Tajani, Pascal Smet, Manfred Neun, Prof. David Banister, George Amar, Jean-Luc de Wilde d’Estmael, Tjeerd Herrema, Mayor Alain Juppé, Mayor Sam Adams, Francesca Racioppi, Prof. J-P Van Ypersele, Jörg Schindler, Philip Darnton, Helle Søholt, Frank van den Eeden, Paul Robison, Guillaume Vanderstichelen, Siim Kallas, Mayor Klaus Bondam, Antonio Rodriguo Torrijo, Margus Hanson, Michael Cramer, Saïd El Khadraoui, Reinhard Rack[37]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Velo-city.

1. Velo-city Global 2014
2. Velo-city Global 2016 – CI/VI
3. Velo-city Global 2016 – website