Velo-city has something for everyone. We decided to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for in our rich programme of seven plenary sessions, over 80 parallel sessions and over 250 speakers.

This article features three parallel sessions which focus on Social Inclusion. Inclusion implies embracing human diversity: diversity of ages, abilities, gender, ethnicities, religions, cultures, and socio-economic resources. Cycling can be a powerful tool for social inclusion and a successful city is one which provides for the basic needs of all its citizens. However, in line with all forms of physical activity, evidence suggests that some individuals are less likely to cycle. These individuals are often people with disabilities, older adults, children, women, and people from disadvantaged and ethnic minority communities. Therefore, how do we engage the most vulnerable to plan and design for inclusive communities? What is being done and what can be done to address inequalities and make cycling more inclusive for a variety of different abilities and needs? What has worked and what hasn’t worked in practice? Are new innovations making cycling available to all or is there inherent exclusion?

As a topic at Velo-city 2019, social inclusion is at the core of our conference title, ‘Cycling for the Ages’ as we aim to for answers to the following question: how can cycling be as inclusive as possible, a mode of transport available to all? Social inclusion stands at the crossroads between two of our main conference themes: ‘Health and Social’ and ‘Environment & Infrastructure’. Diving further into this topic leads to the ‘Social Inclusion, Cohesion and Equity’ subtheme, which is part of the ‘Health and Social’ main theme of the conference. Social inclusion is also part of the discussion in the Scientists for Cycling series of sessions.

‘Inclusive Cycling’ will highlight the exemplary work of experts from around the globe using the bicycle as a tool for inclusion and what this process entails. The speakers in this session are Isabelle Clement from Wheels For Wellbeing, Saskia Kluit from Fietsersbond (Netherlands), Livia Suarez from La Frida Bike, Hans Alexander Mangen from Bydel Grorud, and Ildus Yanyshev from the Cycling Union Republic Of Tatarstan.

Join the ‘Engagement - Resistance and inspiration towards the Cycling City of 2030’ session to discover how cycling can be a tool for social inclusion for women, immigrant groups and the role it can play in violent urban settings. Also in the session, you’ll be able to learn more about research on active travel. Speakers in this session include Carlos Oliveira Pedala from Queimados, Barry Lambe from the Waterford Institute Of Technology, Angela Francke from Technische Universität Dresden, Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman Lindy from the Institute For Urban Innovation, and Lars Strömgren from Cykelfrämjandet.

‘Scientists for Cycling - Global Transport Justice’ will be debating whether or cycling is an activity for rich hipsters or an enabler of accessibility for all classes of society. The discussion will be focusing on global research looking at the social justice aspects of cycling. Speakers in this session include Angela Van der Kloof Mobycon, Lake Sagaris from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, and Pedro Paulo Machado Bastos from Aliança Bike.

Are you interested in joining the discussion? Register here for Velo-city 2019.

For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com 
Sign up for our newsletter: https://abbey.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fd5fa9b846888ef25e85f1973&id=75273fab2e
Follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn