Russia and several CIS countries held an International Congress on Cycling. The event gathered delegates from the greatest cycling countries, to share their expertise and best practices. More than 30 organisations participated, including ECF's Russian members: the Cycle Touring Club and the Bicycle Transport Union.

The development of a cycling culture in eastern and cold countries is a priority to foster cycling at the national and international level. The Moscow International Cycling Congress understood that, and at their first edition decided to focus on bicycle advocacy and its popularization within different social groups in Russia. The Congress aimed at including high-ranking officials representing both federal and regional governmental bodies as well as all the ministries concerned.

Emphasis was put on the importance of creating all the necessary conditions for safe and comfortable riding in Russian cities and towns. This is both a cause and a consequence of a strong bicycle culture: if well established, it could set a virtuous circle where governments are favourable to cycling infrastructures, which stimulates more people to cycle more often, requiring therefore even more and better services.

Several reports were presented to the Congress by delegates from Argentine, Belgium, Great Britain, Holland, Denmark and USA on changing priorities in modern urban and transport infrastructure planning and the emergence of the bicycle culture in countries with cold climate too. Holger Haubold, ECF Fiscal and Economic Policy Officer, insisted on the Economic benefits of cycling, the Bike2Work project and the relation between Cycling and Urban Air Quality:

What decision-makers should be aware of is that allocating more resources to cycling is an excellent investment with a high rate of return. Every Euro or Ruble spent means several Euros or Rubles saved through improved public health, reduced congestion and better air quality.

Representatives of more than 30 cycling organizations from different cities of Russia and CIS countries attended a workshop and shared their vast experience in bike advocacy and bike culture promotion.

The Congress was organized by the "Let’s bike it!" project and the German foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in collaboration with the Russian Ministry of Transport, the Russian Global Environmental Fund and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP).