In recent years, initiatives to raise awareness about maintaining a healthy lifestyle have been on the rise in Egypt, gaining their momentum from the enthusiasm of participants and the interest of others to join such events. The latest highly anticipated initiative, Sekketak Khadra (Your Path is Green), was launched on 11 May in Korba, Heliopolis.
The initiative aims to encourage people to endorse cycling as a faster and more eco-friendly alternative to conventional methods of commuting.
The event was organized by Embassy of Denmark in Egypt in collaboration with the Cairo governorate administration; UN Human Settlement Program (UN-Habitat); the Green Arm initiative by Nahdet El-Mahrousa (Renaissance of Egypt), an NGO which works to promote social and development enterprises; and local community partner Heliopolis Heritage.
Accommodating up to 200 bicycles in the streets of Downtown and Heliopolis, the initiative is set to install 100 bicycle racks by the end of May to promote cycling in the daily lives of Egyptians. The planning and locations of installation were conducted in accordance with the consultation of all local stakeholders in each area.
At 8am, the launch event began with a bicycle tour organised by various Cairo biking communities, followed by a display of the first bicycle rack completed in the area. Later, a map of the remaining racks to be installed was revealed.
The project was described by Nahdet El-Mahrousa representatives as a milestone on Cairo's path towards a more sustainable city.
