Velo-city 2018 article series featuring mini interviews on plenary speakers continue with Thiago Hérick de Sá​, plenary speaker for the plenary: Global Policy!

Thiago Hérick de Sá is a technical officer in the Department of Public Health, Environmental, and Social Determinants of Health at WHO-HQ. Currently, he is involved in the department's work on urban health and sector policies, including on sustainable mobility and land-use planning. His main tasks are to provide technical support for the implementation of urban health projects in cities from low and middle income countries, which involves the development of tools and capacity building to quantify the health impacts of sector policies and to strengthen the local knowledge on how to integrate health in urban and territorial planning. Mr. de Sá leads the contribution of WHO for the Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) Green Goal, is part of the Internal Steering Group for WHO’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity and, has developed a series of studies on the health impacts of cycling and sustainable transport in developing cities and countries.

A quick chat with Thiago Hérick de Sá:

o    What does Access to Life mean to you?

Access to life means to wake up on a decent, clean and healthy house - with clean water on the tap and real food on the fridge - to open the door and be able to walk, cycle and take the public transport in a safe, vibrant, clean and healthy urban environment, full of green, children, families, dogs and cats, a strong sense of community and several opportunities to work, study, play and integrate with the culture and history of peoples and places, to breathe clean air wherever you are, to breathe tolerance, respect and peace whoever you are with. 

o    What cycling lessons are you bringing to Rio?

Cycling is good for health, for the economy, for the environment and for climate, it is hard to find someone who would disagree. The challenge now is to ensure cycling becomes an integral part of the transformation we need to promote in the world to create a better future for us and for the generations to come. WHO will bring some of the experiences, tools, knowledge and political leadership as part of our contribution for this transformation to happen in a sustainable manner.

o    What are you looking forward to the most at Velo-city 2018?

I look forward to joining forces with the champions in promoting cycling across the globe, to exchange lessons and knowledge on how to make it happen and to learn from the latest developments and the vision of the Velo-city community of the way forward for the action agenda. 

o    What do you think is the added value of a global interdisciplinary approach to cycling?

More than the added value, I believe there is no other way but a global and local interdisciplinary approach to cycling as the many solutions needed to make cycling safe, pleasant, and part of the daily life of all people around the globe will inevitably have to rely on a wide range of areas of expertise and a diverse and strong network of institutions committed to change. 

o    What will you visit by bike in Rio?

Everything! As an urban cyclist since more than ten years now, I expect to visit Rio by bike and walk in every single opportunity, starting with my way out from the airport. 

The Global Policy plenary is scheduled for Day 4 of Velo-city 2018; Friday 15^th June 2018 at 09.00-10.00.

More on the Velo-city 2018 Programme here.

Registrations are now open! Register now here.

*Stay up to date by following us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and join our group on LinkedIn