On April 12, 2018, the UN declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day, acknowledging the “uniqueness, longevity and versatility” of the clean mode of transport that has been around for two centuries now.
World Bicycle Day is observed every year on June 3 to highlight the benefits of using a bicycle as a transport option. It is an established fact that cycling has immense health benefits for all. Cycling is an affordable, sustainable, and environment-friendly means of transport that keeps you healthy and fit. The World Health Organization (WHO) says “safe infrastructure for walking and cycling is also a pathway for achieving greater health equity”. Thinking along this line, the United Nations (UN) has designated a special day to be observed as World Bicycle Day to encourage people to take up cycling as a sustainable, healthy way of travelling.
World Bicycle Day History
On April 12, 2018, the UN declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day, acknowledging the “uniqueness, longevity and versatility” of the clean mode of transport that has been around for two centuries now.
This came through after sustained efforts by Professor Leszek Sibliski, a Polish social scientist working in the United States, who led a grassroot campaign to promote cycling and get a dedicated World Bicycle Day.
The UN resolution encourages stakeholders to emphasise and advance the use of the bicycle “as a means of fostering sustainable development, strengthening education, including physical education, for children and young people, promoting health, preventing disease, promoting tolerance, mutual understanding and respect and facilitating social inclusion and a culture of peace”.
World Bicycle Day Logo
The blue and white logo for World Bicycle Day was designed by Isaac Feld and it depicts cyclists belonging to different age groups and genders cycling around the globe. At the bottom of the logo, there is a hashtag #June3WorldBicycleDay. The main message behind this logo is to show that the bicycle serves all.
