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So, when it is time to find out exactly what has gone on in any given place, be sure to seek out sources other than those responsible for organizing the day in the first place. Formal communiqués from the organizers can usually be pretty much discounted. Instead, try to find out what the independent media has reported, especially when they set out to find out what really happened on that day and what the person on the street really thought. In fact, it is our view that one of the main objectives of such a program is precisely to gather up all this criticism and comment, being it out into the open for public discussions, and then factor what has been learned into the program for the next year.
Immediately after the widely reported achievements of the 24 February Car Free Day in Bogotá, we received a communication from Carbusters in Prague suggesting that we all get together and see what might be done in order to organise a World Car Free Day that would try to respond to the so-called Bogotá Challenge. Since then there has been considerable discussion of how this might best be approached. See the @World Car Free Day 2000 section here for more on this.
World Car Free Day 2000
A major cooperative international effort is presently underway in Europe to plan a continent-wide car free day to take place this year on Friday, September 22nd.
The EuroDay is being presented as an opportunity for the municipalities or urban areas to test new measures or new developments in terms of urban mobility, for example delivery systems using clean vehicles, a new route of public transport, car-sharing in companies, bike parking areas with supervision, etc.
Events and public consultations organised around the themes related to the environment, urban transport and the future of cities could also complete the plan of action in order to give an educational and citizen dimension to this day. Extensive informatin is avialble on this program here.
European Car Free Cooperation
For 13 hours beginning at 6:30 in the morning on February 24th, the mayor and the 7 million citizens of Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia's capital, organized and carried out the world's biggest, most ambitious car free day to date. By many measures it was a great success. But the ultimate test of a car free day lies in learning from the experience and then in beginning to make all those many changes that are needed to create a more sustainable access system for the city and its inhabitants. This is the next important step of the Bogotá Challenge.
Lessons of Bogotá: What Happens Next?
The next stop of the @World Car Free Day tour is taking us to Italy . . . where over the period March 5th to May 7th we are following progress with their once-a-month Car Free Sundays.
As with the case of Bogotá, we see our role as being that of offering an independent, friendly and informed world wide window on the experiences and approaches, which, it being Italy, we can expect will be many , different and, on at least occasion, show real flashes of genius.
Italy's Car Free Sundays
Getting a Car Free Day right is hard work (see "Thursday: A Breakthrough Strategy" here, as well as the Car Free Day Timeline). There is a lot more to it than just issuing a bunch of press releases, hunkering down, and then declaring victory. It requires considerable technical skill and a great deal of deep engagement, preparation and negotiation. There have been in the last few years a certain number of days which have been organized without sufficient preparation or attempts to reach the broad supporting consensus which we believe to be indispensable for a truly successful event. The results have shown it.
Organizing a Car Free Day?
Be a Bit Suspicious of Facility
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Updated 27 March 2000