21.09.2008
the world’s car-free day in Kyiv

The bicycle parade “Kyiv is the city-park, not the parking lot” that run for 26 km., open competition on acrobatic driving, action support concert with such names as Krykhitka Tsahes, Abzdolts, Propala Gramota, Martovi.

The first such action took place in Paris in 1998. Though only old city was closed for private transport on that day, CO2 content in the air dropped 15%. During 10 years, the car-free day was joined by over 1,300 European cities as well as cities from other continents.

Kyiv also joined this global movement following the call by ArtPole agency. The Kyevites were asked to leave their cars at home on 22 September and to get to work by walk, bicycle, or at least by using the public transport. The actions targeted catching attention not only of the city inhabitants, but also of the city authorities — it is difficult to be environmentally conscious in the city with insufficient number of bicycle tracks and bicycle parking spaces. On 22 September the organisers also staged a competition on who would get to the downtown office first; the race was won by a bicyclist, with car driver getting second and a passenger travelling by city transport — third.

Official web-page of the project.