Action "Move yourself" that was held this Sunday at Banj hill picnic site near Banja Luka, initiated the European mobility week, the largest world initiative directed at issues of sustainable city transport. The topic of this years Mobility Week, held each year from 16th to 22nd of September, when Car Free Day is marked, is "Travel smarter, Live Better". The goal of this years campaign is to incite local authorities to promote sustainable transport – walking, cycling and usage of public transport as well as its positive influence towards health of the citizens and help towards achieving the goals of protecting the environment. Initiative, started in the year of 2002, is supported by the European Commission – General Direction for Environment Protection.
This years marking of Mobility Week was accompanied by the Delegation of European Union in BiH which financed the activities implemented by the Centre for life environment from Banja Luka. Information point was stationed at Banj hill on Sunday where all participants could be informed about the goals of the action as well as its sponsors. The opportunity was used for distribution of EU promo materials. There was also a mobile team of doctors present that controlled the level of blood sugar and measured blood pressure to interested parties. In that way citizens of Banja Luka contributed toward promoting the campaign goals.
National coordinator of European Mobility Week Tihomir Dakic stated on the occasion: "Despite bad weather conditions we have organized this action because we deem that it is very important to work on raising awareness of the citizens when it comes to usage of alternative ways of transport. The health of people and sustainable transport are two connected factors that improve the quality of life in the cities since they are helping in reduction of pollution and noise level as well as number of traffic accidents and traffic congestion. In that way we would create better conditions for a more enjoyable life of the citizens without the everyday use of automobiles".
Representative of RS Ministry for spatial planning, construction and ecology Gorjana Rosic stressed that the Ministry accepted the invitation to participate in marking of European Mobility Week with pleasure. "Manifestations such as these are one of the ways to reduce the emission of harming gasses but we cannot allow for things to cease with manifestations alone, we have to make an effort and make care for life environment a behaviour model. Only with joint actions of public institutions and non-government sector we can fulfil the goal – leave our children with clean, healthy and sustainable future".
Program of European Mobility Week also contains film projections, lectures and on September 22nd in Banja Luka there will be a promotional ride/cycling race Two wheels is enough as well as promo concert where all traffic will cease in one of the most congested streets in the city due to International Car Free Day.
