Draft:Velo-city 2010 Copenhagen

Bike Parade at Velo-city Global Copenhagen

Velo-city 2010 was the first Velo-city Series conference in its global edition and it took place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 22 – 25 June 2010 at the Øksnehallen and CPH CONFERENCE. It was organised by the European Cyclists' Federation, the City of Frederiksberg and the City of Copenhagen. ECF celebrated the 30 years of the Velo-city Series by initiating the biennial global edition of the conference. The Velo-city Global 2010 gathered 1100 participants and highlighted the bicycle's potential to enhance the quality of life around the world and to solve global challenges such as congestion, obesity and climate change. It was connected with the brand of Copenhagen as the climate change city following the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The overall theme of Velo-city 2010 Copenhagen was "Different Gears, Same Destination" expressing the main idea of the conference that despite our differences, we are all heading in the same direction: people from different backgrounds, at different stages and different all share the same goal – getting more people cycling throughout the world. The different background of the participants from all around the world was seen by the organisers as a driving force behind the conference to join forces across continents, regions and cities.

Aims

The Velo-city Global 2010 aimed to show and develop the potential of cycling as an obvious choice on urban transport and a concrete measure in combatting climate change. Additionally it provided inspiration and ideas to concrete actions, whatever the challenges to cycling were. It also aimed to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences across borders and across disciplines. The more than 1100 participants came from very different backgrounds, were at different stages with very different challenges, but the vision for all was clear: getting more people to cycle. All in all, Velo-city Global 2010 in Copenhagen brought together urban planners, politicians, NGOs and bicycle professionals from around the world to discuss the potential and challenges of cycling.

Program

The program of Velo-city Global 2010 was spread over four days and included both plenary and sub-plenary sessions. Each day of the conference started and ended with a plenary session in order to ensure common ground across the variety of backgrounds and experiences. The total 180 sub-plenary sessions ranged in a variety of formats: roundtables, workshops.

The speakers ranged from politicians and experts to Urban Planners to PR Officers with much international experience in local NGOs. Coming from big cities like Shanghai, Santiago, New York to smaller ones like Malmö, Girona and Varde.

A full list of the keynote speakers is: Bo Asmus Kjeldgaard, Connie Hedegaard, Ciarán Cuffe, Frank Jensen, Gil Peñalosa, Jan Gehl, Janette Sadik-Khan, John Whitelegg, Lake Sagaris, Mikael Colville-Andersen, Pan Haixiao, Vandana Shiva.

Each plenary session dealt with one of the following themes:

1. Cycling as quality of life
2. Co-benefits of cycling
3. Social status of cycling
4. Cycling as democracy and freedom
5. Global status of cycling initiatives
6. Creative cycling innovations
7. Collaboration for the Future
8. Cycling and global responsibility

The third day of Velo-city Global 2010, a Bike Parade took place which attracted almost 2000 cycling conference goers and Copenhageners. The parade concluded an impressive sight of many people in all forms, shapes and colours moving slowly through the streets of Copenhagen on their bicycles.

Velo-city Global 2010 Expo

The exhibition was an integrated part of the Velo-city Global 2010. It was based around the plenary room, accessible by the participants during track-free moments, lunch and coffee breaks. Some exhibitors used the chance to get bigger booths while a new trend was developed: more and more cities stated the wish to be present at the next Velo-city's Expo.