A bicycle ride as part of the "Car-Free Day" campaign gathered several hundred participants in Vitebsk.
September 23, 2025
Several hundred participants gathered in Vitebsk for a bike ride as part of the "Car-Free Day" campaign
Several hundred participants gathered in Vitebsk for a bike ride as part of the "Car-Free Day" campaign. The route ran from 33rd Army Street to the Flag and Coat of Arms Square.
The campaign was supported by the participation of Dmitry Demidov, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Sergey Meleshkin, member of the Council of the Republic and head of the regional Emergency Situations Ministry department, Maxim Lysenko, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, and Roman Koltsa, Chairman of the Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
The most experienced participant of the bike ride was 80-year-old Vladimir Stankevich from Senno. Throughout his life, he has participated in various competitions and events many times. After reading about the campaign, he decided to support it, although due to his age, he did not risk cycling the entire distance from Senno to Vitebsk (about 60 km) – he covered half of it by public transport. In total, Vladimir Petrovich cycles 20-30 km a day.
One of the most representative delegations was from "Energokomplekt". According to Sergey Krasnovsky, Deputy Director of the enterprise, cycling is popular among the staff. Corporate bike rides are regularly held, with routes of 25, 50, and 100 km chosen depending on the participants' abilities. Moreover, enthusiasts of two-wheeled transport prefer to travel on field and forest paths rather than public roads. The largest corporate bike ride gathered 100 participants – almost every tenth employee of the enterprise. About 70 people cycle to work daily.
A ceremonial event was held at Flag and Emblem Square. Maksim Lysenko recalled that Belarus joined the international campaign "Car-Free Day" in 2008. In our country, annual emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere amount to 865 thousand tons, of which 49% come from mobile sources.
– Each of us can give up our car for a day, switch to public transport, a bicycle, or other means of personal mobility, and give nature a breath of fresh air, – emphasized Maksim Lysenko.
Dmitry Demidov noted that Belarus is not called the lungs of Europe for nothing. We have preserved forests, wetlands, and meadows. The country pursues a green policy, where environmental issues are given top priority when developing settlements and creating new enterprises.
– Appreciate, love, and protect your land. Your living conditions and those of your children depend on it, – the head of the Vitebsk region's parliamentary corps urged the youth.
On this day, the "VeloVitebsk" competition was held among students of educational institutions. An exhibition of electric transport was presented in the 1000th Anniversary Park, and thematic areas of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Automobile Inspectorate, the Special Police Unit, and the "Ohrana" department were operating.