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More than 5,000 bicyclists from around the world will gather at the World Bicycle Forum from February 26 through March 1, 2015 in Medellín, Colombia. The international conference and collaborative forum will celebrate and situate the bicycle as a powerful tool for urban transformation. The theme of the fourth annual Forum is “Cities for All.” Attendance is free and open to the public.
The Forum is organized in a collaborative and independent manner through the volunteer work of inspired citizens from around the globe. The World Bicycle Forum is the largest global, grassroots event that promotes bicycle transportation. For the week of the Forum, artists and activists, representatives of NGOs and government agencies, bicycle cooperatives and other grassroots organizations, and business leaders unite to share research and best practices and create artistic interventions. Participants will plan to produce changes on every level and inspire one another to be mutually responsible for the transformation of space for people and the planet.
Medellín, Colombia is a global model of economic and environmental transformation that has begun to fully embrace bicycle transportation. Medellin was named the “Most Innovative City of the Year” for 2012 by the Wall Street Journal, and in 2014 was ranked the “Most Livable Latin American City” by Indra. Forum attendees will have the chance to experience Medellín’s network of bike paths, bike-share system, a ciclovia during which some urban routes are closed to cars, and the largest Critical Mass ride in the country.
According to Carlos Cadena Gaitán, one of the conference’s local coordinators, “Medellín now intends to lead the way for developing world cities in embracing the bicycle as a powerful urban transformation tool. Cycling experts, artists and leaders from all over the world will gather in Medellín to give way for innovative bicycle promotion strategies. The city will present its advances to promote urban cycling.”
Originally conceived as the "Foro Mundial Da Bicicleta," the previous three World Bicycle Forums were held in Brazil. The first two forums took place in Porto Alegre in response to an internationally infamous incident where a man drove at high speed through a peaceful Critical Mass demonstration in 2011. The third Forum took place in Curitiba, drawing over 1,300 participants.
The call for proposals for workshops, presentations, and panels is open through November 15, 2014:
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