World bicycle Day
World Bicycle Day, celebrated every June 3rd, is a day that recognizes the multiple benefits of this sustainable, accessible, and healthy mode of transportation. Promoted by the UN, this day seeks to highlight the role of bicycles in promoting more inclusive and safer cities, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
As part of World Bicycle Day, the University of Azuay reaffirms its commitment to urban sustainability through the "UDA Sobre Ruedas" project, a student-led initiative that seeks to transform mobility habits on and off campus.
Adrián Bermeo, a student at our institution and a project organizer, points out that this initiative aims to demonstrate that sustainable mobility is possible in the city of Cuenca, highlighting not only the environmental benefits but also the positive impacts on health, quality of life, and connection among community members.
“UDA Sobre Ruedas” is directly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting practices that reduce private vehicle use, urban stress, air pollution, and noise, while fostering physical activity and a sense of community among students, teachers, and citizens, Bermeo says.
In this context, Bermeo affirms that one of the main challenges faced by the project's promoters has been the lack of awareness about urban cycling. To counteract this barrier, activities such as workshops and themed bike rides have been organized that integrate cultural, educational, and social aspects, seeking to strengthen cycling culture and highlight the need for more inclusive and safer infrastructure for cyclists.
Although getting around by bike can have its inconveniences, it's an experience that connects deeply with the city and its inhabitants, Bermeo notes. More than just a means of transportation, cycling is an active, conscious, and sustainable way to experience Cuenca, connect with its surroundings, and contribute, through small actions, to caring for the planet.
On this World Bicycle Day, "UDA Sobre Ruedas" not only proposes pedaling around the city, but also promoting a more sustainable, healthy, and connected society.
