From cycling events and walking tours to activities for children and young people and discussions on how to make our cities safer, more accessible and more pleasant places to live, nine Montenegrin municipalities will mark European Mobility Week from 16 to 22 September.
Activities in Podgorica, Nikšić, Kolašin, Šavnik, Tivat, Kotor, Bar, Pljevlja and Berane are being implemented with the support of the Municipalities for EU project, in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro. Local institutions and services, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations, sports clubs, media outlets and other local partners are also involved in the implementation of individual programmes.
This year’s European Mobility Week is held under the theme “Mobility for Everyone”, highlighting the importance of ensuring that safe and sustainable mobility options are accessible to all citizens.
“European Mobility Week is a good example of how we can bring European policies closer to citizens through concrete activities in their communities. It is particularly important to us that municipalities have designed programmes tailored to their local needs, ranging from cycling and walking activities and education for children and young people to discussions on how we can make public spaces safer and more accessible. It is through initiatives like these that European values become part of everyday life in our cities,” said Branka Mračević, Team Leader of the Municipalities for EU project.
In Podgorica, which is organising a multi-day programme, a panel discussion entitled “Together Towards Sustainable Mobility” will be held on 16 September, together with the Municipalities for EU project, focusing on the challenges and opportunities for developing sustainable mobility. In Nikšić, young people will take part in a lecture and discussion on environmental protection, sustainable mobility, healthy lifestyles and cyclist safety, followed by a cycling event. In Kotor, a group cycling tour from Sveti Stasije to Dobrota will be organised on 16 September.
Kolašin and Šavnik will organise their activities on 18 September. Kolašin will bring citizens together for a group bicycle ride through the town, while Šavnik will mark Car-Free Day with a community walk bringing together children, young people and older residents.
Tivat has planned a multi-day programme, while activities implemented together with the Municipalities for EU project are scheduled for 19 September, when children and young people will take part in roller-skating and scooter activities in Donja Lastva.
Bar and Pljevlja will focus on cycling on 20 September. Bar will organise a recreational cycling event, while in Pljevlja a large number of citizens will take part in a bicycle ride along the Pljevlja–Brvenica–Pljevlja route.
The programme will continue in Berane on 22 September with a bicycle ride and a walk, accompanied by activities promoting active mobility and people-friendly public spaces.
“Municipalities have a key role in creating the conditions for sustainable mobility, as it is at the local level that citizens’ needs and opportunities to respond to them in practical ways are most clearly recognised. European Mobility Week is also an opportunity to promote different habits and open a broader conversation about what we want our streets, neighbourhoods and cities to look like. Through joint action by local governments, institutions, civil society and citizens, we can create safer, more accessible and higher-quality public spaces for all generations,” said Marija Kljajić, Assistant Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro and European Mobility Week Coordinator on behalf of the organisation.
The activities taking place across Montenegro over the seven days vary in format, but share a common goal: to encourage citizens to think about how they move around in their daily lives and to highlight the importance of developing cities where walking, cycling and other sustainable forms of mobility are safe and accessible.
By supporting local initiatives as part of European Mobility Week, the Municipalities4EU project, in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro, continues to strengthen the role of local governments in the European integration process and to connect European policies with the concrete needs of local communities.
