Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
Veronika Mutsei, who started an NGO called Zeilen van Vrijheid is coordinating the donations process, Source: City of Amsterdam
With expensive or unavailable fuel and damaged infrastructure, aid workers need bicycles to travel long distances
Yesterday, local authorities in Amsterdam announced a joint project with a Ukrainian volunteer group to help bring bicycles into the country. Since the start of the Russian invasion, much of the key car infrastructure, especially near the front line has been damaged.
Additionally, gasoline is expensive or unavailable and so is finding a car. However, considering that there are still millions of people living in Ukraine, there are a lot of aid workers and medical staff who need to get to remote or cut-off places.
The bicycle would be a perfect replacement for the car in this case, as it allows people a lot more flexibility, especially while traversing damaged infrastructure. Amsterdam, meanwhile, is one of the most cycling-prolific cities in Europe, making the two a perfect fit.
The project started out with one Veronika Mutsei, an Amsterdam resident born in Kyiv. At the start of the war, she set up a foundation called Zeilen van Vrijheid (Sailing for Freedom). First, she started by driving discarded ambulances, filled to the brim with medical equipment and now she is moving towards distributing bikes.
According to a statement by the city, originally, she put out an open call on social media for bike donations, which eventually led to her actively cooperating with the Amsterdam Bicycle Depot (Fietsdepot Amsterdam).
The Bicycle Depot, in its own right, donated bicycles that were left behind and forgotten, just sitting in storage. Furthermore, Veronika helped select the bicycles as she explained, Ukraine needs sturdy and easy-to-fix classic bikes, as opposed to fancy, electric ones.
She continued: “We do not need expensive bikes, but solid bikes that can take a beating”. The bikes are then sent to a distribution centre in Ukraine where they go through a technical check-up or repair, repaint and go where they need to be.
Deputy Mayor Melanie van der Horst was quoted in a press statement, explaining the municipality sympathizes with the difficult situation in which the Ukrainians find themselves. She continued by hammering the point that Amsterdam is a cycling city and it can make a small contribution that can go a long way.
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The previous mayor was forced out of office following a no-confidence vote in the city council
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
Everyone’s invited free of charge, but only after registration
Italian cities and regions continue experimenting with creative proposals to curb overtourism effects
It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities
Italian cities and regions continue experimenting with creative proposals to curb overtourism effects
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team