Pedal Power for the Planet – the EU invites Citizens in Dar to a Cycling Event
Today, the Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Tanzania and the East African Community, H.E. Ambassador Manfredo Fanti, together with Hon. Dr. Selemani Saidi Jafo, Minister, Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment) officiated a cycling event devoted to creating awareness on environmental protection and marking the end of a campaign, "Resilience to Climate Change".
The EU in Tanzania has been partnering with Umma Wa Wapanda Baisikeli Dar es Salaam (UWABA) for many years to bring people together and use bicycles. Under the motto “Tunza Mazingira, Tumia basikeli” the EU promotes a greener, safer city made for all citizens who can use the roads safely.
Cycle caravans have been used in various cities worldwide, to promote cycling as a mode of urban transport and to raise awareness of cyclist’s rights. It is a highly participatory event with old and young, men and women, able-bodied and people living with disability (PLWD) all encouraged to take part.
“This is an opportunity for the EU to work with UWABA and meet and engage with citizens at a cycling event happening on the streets of the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. We all need to consider carefully our modes of transport in cities around the world. If we can take our feet off the gas accelerator, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, and place our feet firmly on a bicycle pedal instead, we are surely contributing to protecting our planet but also keeping fit and staying healthy” said H.E. Manfredo Fanti, the EU Ambassador to Tanzania.
UWABA is an NGO based in Dar es Salaam and is made up of cyclists campaigning for better and safer road conditions for cyclists and providing cycle safety education. Its members consist of a wide range of age groups from children to youth to older people. Its objectives include encouraging cycling as a sustainable means of transport in Dar es Salaam, lobbying the Government to improve conditions, safety and infrastructure for Dar es Salaam cyclists, promoting facilities for cyclists, sensitizing motorists on cyclists’ rights and educating cyclists on safe cycling.
Throughout 2021 the EU has run a climate change campaign, Resilience! with the main question: How do we want to live and how do we keep our communities clean, green and resilient?
The EU is at the forefront of international efforts to fight climate change and has been supporting Tanzania to address climate change, to protect the environment and ecosystems.
The Resilience! campaign kicked off in May with an exhibition at the National Museum in Dar es Salaam. Beautiful portrait and landscape photographs of impactful projects were on display, showing how Tanzanian communities are adapting to climate change through tree planting, climate-smart agricultural practices including growing drought-resistant crops and protecting their farms from flash flooding by creating ridges between crops and many more activities. The campaign has promoted awareness about the need for everyone to take action for the environment and address the impact of climate change. In the past six months, the EU has organised beach clean-ups, conducted workshops and exhibitions, engaged school-children in tree planting and green city designing activities.
Young people are the future and they have also been front and centre of the campaign. Schools have been invited to an interactive exhibition, workshops, quizzes and tasked with creating designs. We want to know how young people are seeing the future in Tanzania and beyond. What do we need to be “resilient”?
