European Mobility Week - what’s on in Catalonia

September 16 until September 22 marks Mobility Week across Europe. 2,806 towns and cities are registered to participate in 2019’s edition, which focuses on the benefits of ‘safe walking and cycling’ for health, the environment and not to forget, finances.

2019 also marks 20 years of a more sustainable Catalonia. In 1999, the country celebrated a ‘No Car Day’, which marked the beginning of an inclination away from the car and towards transport that respects the environment.

The day was then baptized as Autoflexion Day, and in the same year there was an institutional commission created to promote the use of sustainable and respectful public transport in Catalonia. 20 years later, this day is still celebrated on September 22 during Mobility Week. 

700 activities will be held across 300 municipalities in Catalonia to remind citizens of the importance of combating one of society’s most pressing contemporary issues. 

Among primary aims of the organization is to reach as many people as possible. Three years ago over 80% of municipalities of more than 10,000 inhabitants registered to participate, and once again this has been achieved in 2019.

A solution to pollution 

Activities this year are dedicated towards the most sustainable modes of transport i.e. without an engine.  They will be distributed across big cities in Catalonia, all with recurrent (and unsurprising) themes. 

Barcelona will host 210 activities - 106 will be dedicated to promoting the use of a bike, and 95 to walking. Meanwhile, Girona will put on 66 events for walking, and 35 for cycling. To learn more about what is happening near you, visit the Land and Sustainability Department’s official website. 

Increase your own life expectancy, as well as the planet’s

The organization is citing the health benefits of walking and cycling, as well as the evident environmental ones. Studies show that cyclists on average live two years longer than non-cyclists, and take 15% fewer days off work through illness. 

Meanwhile, 25 minutes of brisk walking a day is believed to add up to seven years to your life.  

Get involved online

Events such as these nowadays do not go without online participation. This year people are invited to participate in an Instagram photo competition.

Just upload a picture related to sustainable mobility and/or participating in one of the many activities on offer with the tag #mobility2019. The winner this year will win a public transport ticket for an entire year.

This year, there will also be a question competition. The page @territoricat will be answering questions on its Instagram story throughout the week, and a lucky winner among the published questions will receive a monthly transport ticket.