Sem, European Mobility Week, is coming:public space is a common good

From 16 to 22 September with Sem, European Mobility Week, many events in Italy and around the world to raise people's awareness and promote active mobility.

There sharing public space is the theme chosen for the Sem, European Mobility Week 2024, the main awareness campaign of European Commission on the sustainable urban mobility which takes place this year from 16 to 22 September and culminating on 22 September with World Car Free Day.

Many events are scheduled throughout the national territory promoted in particular by FIAB, Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation, which relaunches initiatives (and challenges!) such as car free week, or the car-free week, the bike to work day Of Friday 20th and the park(ing) day on 21 and 22 September.Many events that lead us to reconsider public space and invite us to experience the streets, car parks and squares in a different way, as well as being a warm invitation to a change of habits, to more sustainable lifestyles and liveable cities.

SEM arrives with the Car-free week

The car free week is a challenge to move sustainably for an entire week, leaving the private car at home and choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport.A significant gesture which for many coincides with the return to the classroom, for which the entire school world is invited - students, students, families but also teachers and school staff - to try their hand at this experiment which could become an excellent daily habit, giving also an important signal regarding the problem of sedentary lifestyle which affects many children.

World car free day, 22 September

The car free day It is World Car Free Day and coincides with the last day of the Sem.This is a moment dedicated to raising awareness among the population about the importance of reducing car traffic in cities, too to protect people's health, especially the younger and older ones.We know that Italian cities suffer from high levels of air pollution:Rome and Milan record very high average annual concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, repeatedly exceeding the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization.In some cities around the world, car free day has become a weekly event.

In particular it is the city of Bogota, in Colombia, to teach thanks to the Ciclovia project and with the closure of many roads to cars every Sunday between 7am and 2pm.Let's not forget that the cycle path network here has expanded in the last decade up to approximately 600 km.

Bike to work day, to work by bicycle during the Sem

The eleventh National bike to work day It's Friday 20 September:it will be a good opportunity to try commuting to work by bicycle, experiencing the benefits in terms of health, economic savings (you don't pay for transport tickets and fuel) and respect for the environment.

Let's remember that many municipalities encourage bike to work by assigning contributions, just as more and more companies attentive to the topic are pushing workers to choose active mobility by making available, for example, bicycles, parking, showers, information material and the figure of mobility manager.

Park(ing) day, 21 and 22 September

The park(ing) day it is certainly one of the most original events of the Sem. Born in San Franciscor in 2005 like an artistic installation of urban warfare in a single paid car park in the city centre, and then became a global event.It is part of the tactical urbanism movement which uses rapid, short-term interventions to drive long-term strategic changes in the urbanized environment.

Today it touches hundreds of cities where For one day, citizens take the parking space to temporarily convert it into a “public social space”,  to return it to relationships, art, play.During Park(ing) Days, lounges, gardens, offices and bicycle repair shops are set up in the space usually occupied by cars and meetings, shows and many other initiatives open to the public are organised.Anything goes as long as the streets are greener and more fun for people.

Just do a search on Instagram with the hashtag #parkingday to discover the many cities in the world where it has been done (from Japan to North America), where it will be done and the solutions found.

Italian policies in conflict with European directives, Fiab's comment for the Sem

In the year of European declaration of cycling, Fiab on the occasion of the Sem draws attention to the contrast between the European vision and Italian politics.

As he states Luca Polverini, head of Sem for Fiab, “public space is a precious and limited resource especially within urban centres, streets and squares are places of movement, interaction and relationships.A common good whose responsible use is vital for the development of sustainable mobility, not only from an environmental and road safety point of view but also to guarantee physical, mental and social well-being, in accordance with the definition of health recognized by the WHO.Unfortunately, Italy is currently going in the opposite direction:it is a political drift that must be opposed at all costs."

There modification of the Highway Code proposed by Minister Salvini, renamed by the families of road victims "Code of the Massacre”, puts people's lives at risk and hinders the use of harmless and sustainable means such as the bicycle, thus going in a diametrically opposite direction to "Vision zero 2050" and the main guidelines shared at community level.

In this scenario FIAB promotes the cycling as a universal language to drive change towards more livable cities.The more we choose the bike, the more people-friendly, safe and accessible our roads become.This is why we invite you to participate in the events available on dedicated site.