Lisbon hosts the world's largest conference on bicycle mobility. Postponed initially from June to September, due to the pandemic, Velo-city will be held in the Portuguese capital before leaving next year for Ljubljana. The event will take place from September 6th to 9th at FIL.
Lisbon built the first kilometers of bike paths in 2001. But it wasn't until 2014 that the bicycle moved from the green spaces department to the mobility department, and came to be understood as a means of transportation like the others already in the city. In recent years, the Portuguese capital has been including cycling in its mobility policy and strategy; it has gone from 90 km of cycling built in 2017 to around 150 km as of today. The goal is, for now, set at 200 km. It launched GIRA, a public bike-sharing system. It has created surface and covered parking for cyclists.
It is in this context that Lisbon hosts the world's largest conference on bicycle mobility. Postponed initially from June to Septemberdue to the pandemic, the Velo-city takes place in the Portuguese capital before leaving next year for Ljubljana. The fair will take place from 6 to 9 September at FIL. It is an event for all those interested in the sector.
What is Velo-city?
A Velo-city is the world's largest conference on bicycle mobility. It is organized by the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF), whose founding was inspired by the event. The first edition of Velo-city took place in 1980 in the German city of Bremen and, since then, has toured several cities around the world, especially in Europe. He has already been to London, Copenhagen, Milan, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Paris, Montreal, and Rio de Janeiro.
Lisbon will host the 27th edition of Velo-city, after Dublin hosted the conference for its second year in 2019 (the 2020 edition, scheduled for Ljubljana, Slovenia, has been postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic). Cities apply and the host of each edition is selected by the ECF. Lisbon had already been among the finalists to host the Velo-city in 2017, in a dispute with Stockholm (Sweden) and Arnhem (Netherlands) - it lost to the latter.
Lisbon won Velo-city in 2021 for its strong local and national political commitment to improving active modes of transport, and for the involvement in the candidacy of the national bicycle industry, academia, and civil society associations and organizations such as MUBi, Estrada Viva, the Portuguese Cycling Federation, ACA-M, and FCPUB.
In every city it passes through, Velo-city ends up indirectly playing an important role in promoting the bicycle as a means of transportation and accelerating investments in local infrastructure. The Lisbon edition of Velo-city is organized by the European Cyclists Federation with EMEL and the Lisbon City Hall.
When and where will Velo-city be?
Velo-city will take place from September 6th to 9th in Pavilion 1 of FILin Lisbon. The 10,000 square meter venue will consist of four stagesThe Red Stage, the Yellow Stage, the Green Stage, and the Blue Stage. The latter will host the plenary sessions, but throughout the day there will be simultaneous programming distributed among the different stages.
In addition to the conference session areas, there will be networking space, an exhibition area, and the so-called "Ambassador Lounge", an exclusive access area for those who have purchased the most expensive ticket for the event (more information about tickets below).
What is the theme of Velo-city?
Each edition of Velo-city is unique, not only because a different city serves as its stage, but also because there is an associated theme. In 2021, there will be talk of diversity, of the "cycle diversity". This "cycle diversity" reveals itself in a variety of circumstances, political contexts, climates, natural or human environments with cyclists of all ages, backgrounds and genders, and with all types of bicycles, used for different purposes. Diversity is, above all, an asset to be had and cherished.
The more diverse cities are, the more resilient they become. Cities are alive, vibrant and alluring, enduring over time, attracting the talent and people needed for social, economic and financial sustainability. To think beyond. We live in challenging times that require ambitious policy action, where equity, intergenerational justice and climate concern must always be present. We must take advantage of cycling diversity to combat the inequalities of our cities and mitigate their effects by promoting access to cycling.
- Velo-city 2021
The diversity theme will be divided into five sub-themeswhich will be treated in the different conference sessions throughout the four days of the fair:
- Bicycle diversity and urban mobility: how do different types of bicycles (shared, electric, cargo, folding, etc.) fit into the urban mobility system? How does urban mobility play out between soft mobility, shared vehicles, public transport options, and the view of mobility as a service?
- Economy and tourism: what are the economic impacts of cycling mobility and what is the role of the bicycle industry and manufacturers? What benefits are generated and what externalities are eliminated?
- Restructuring of cities and politics: how can space in our cities be more equally distributed, calling for better infrastructure that enables safe cycling mobility for all? How can we build the 15-minute city on a human scale with tactical urbanism and pop-up solutions?
- Community Building, Co-creation and Inclusion: what is the role of social movements and cyclist advocates in building community programs related to cycling to school or work, walking conditions, sports initiatives, and issues of gender, culture, and the struggle for social equity?
- Health and Climate Resilience: how can the bicycle serve to increase resilience, break perverse travel behavior patterns, and strive for healthier lifestyles and better air quality?
You can check the program in detail here. And the speakers are here.
Who is Velo-city for?
Velo-city is for everyone who has an interest in the topic of bicycle mobility and has the financial availability to participate in this event. With more than 250 speakers from over 60 countries and 30 exhibitorsLike the Web Summit, Velo-city is, like the Web Summit, for professionals in the mobility sector, cycling entrepreneurs, policy makers, journalists who deal with cities, and also for students whose areas of knowledge are related to the themes of the event.
Velo-city will have conference sessions, company and project exhibitors, and networking opportunities. 750 in-person participants and more than 1000 digital participants are expected (due to the pandemic, the event will take place in a hybrid format).
How much does Velo-city cost?
Like most specialist conferences, Velo-city is an expensive event. The digital ticket is the most affordable of all - 120 euros, and Lisboa Para Pessoas will have three to give away throughout this week (more info at the end of the article). With this digital ticket, it is possible to watch the sessions from home and from anywhere in the world with internet access. The contents will be available for a yearThere will be daily summaries and all sessions will be available as podcasts. Velo-city's digital platform will also allow networking and access to exhibits in a virtual format.
The normal ticket costs 850 euros and, besides giving access to the FIL venue and all the activities of Velo-city in a face-to-face format, it will also allow you to access the contents digitally, participate in the bicycle parade (bike parade), have lunch during the four days, and go to the gala dinner on the last day. For students, there is a 50% discount, which is 435 euros. The ticket for "ambassadors" costs 999 euros and gives access to the reserved areas, such as the Ambassador Lounge. There are group tickets: 1,700 euros for three people or 2,550 euros for six people. There are also daily tickets at 300 euros and tickets for people from Developing Countries (according to the World Bank) for 425 euros (the same discount as 50%).
All information can be found here.
To be part of the Velo-city exhibition and exhibit your product, service, business, or project, you will have to pay between 750 and 7500 euros. More info here e here.
Without a ticket, can I take part?
O bicycle parade or bike parade is one of the most anticipated moments of Velo-city and, although in theory only open to Velo-city participants, it will take place on the city streets, so anyone can at least watch the bikes go by.
The parade is scheduled for 6:30 pm on September 8. The start will be at FIL and the parade will be accompanied by the authorities in order to guarantee the safety of all the people.
How can I win tickets?
Lisboa Para Pessoas is a media partner of Velo-city 2021 and has joined the organization to offer three digital tickets - worth 120 euros each - to three of its readers. The first one will be offered on the date of publication of this article, August 23. To qualify, just send it to mail@lisboaparapessoas.pt an e-mail with the answer to the following question: what is the theme of this edition of Velo-city? Emails will be accepted until 11:59 PM on August 24; the winner will be drawn among all validated entries.
The remaining two tickets will be offered during this week to subscribers of the Lisboa Para Pessoas newsletterthrough a similar hobby. Stay tuned!
