A bicycle ride as part of the "Car-Free Day" campaign gathered several hundred participants in Vitebsk.
Several hundred participants gathered in Vitebsk for a cycling event as part of the "Car-Free Day" campaign. The route ran from 33rd Army Street to the Flag and Coat of Arms Square.
The event was supported by the participation of Dmitry Demidov, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies; Sergey Meleshkin, Member of the Council of the Republic and Head of the Regional Emergency Situations Department; Maxim Lysenko, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection; and Roman Koltsa, Chairman of the Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
The most experienced participant of the cycling event was 80-year-old Vladimir Stankevich from Senno. Throughout his life, he has participated in various competitions and events multiple times. After reading about the campaign, he decided to support it, although due to his age, he did not risk cycling the entire distance from Senno to Vitebsk (about 60 km) – he covered half of it by public transport. In total, Vladimir Petrovich cycles 20-30 km per day.
One of the most representative delegations was from "Energokomplekt." According to Sergey Krasnovsky, Deputy Director of the enterprise, cycling is popular among the staff. Corporate cycling events are regularly held, with routes of 25, 50, and 100 km chosen depending on the participants' capabilities. Moreover, cycling enthusiasts prefer to ride on field and forest paths rather than public roads. The largest corporate cycling event gathered 100 participants – almost every tenth employee of the enterprise. Approximately 70 people cycle to work daily.
A ceremonial event was held at Flag and Emblem Square. Maxim Lysenko recalled that Belarus joined the international "Car-Free Day" campaign in 2008. In our country, annual emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere amount to 865 thousand tons, of which 49% come from mobile sources.
– Each of us can give up our car for a day, switch to public transport, a bicycle, or other means of personal mobility, and give nature a breath of fresh air, – emphasized Maxim Lysenko.
Dmitry Demidov noted that Belarus is not called the lungs of Europe for nothing. We have preserved forests, wetlands, and meadows. The country pursues a green policy, where environmental issues are given top priority in the development of settlements and the creation of new enterprises.
– Appreciate, love, and protect your land. Your future living conditions and those of your children depend on it, – the head of the Vitebsk region's deputy corps urged the youth.
On this day, competitions were held among students of educational institutions "VeloVitebsk". An exhibition of electric transport was presented in the Park of the 1000th Anniversary of Vitebsk, and thematic platforms of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Automobile Inspectorate, the Special Police Force, and the "Okhana" department were operating.