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UN International Youth Day: New generations choose public transport

Date

16 Aug 2011

Sections

Transport

 On the occasion of the United Nations’ (UN) International Youth Day, celebrated each year on August 12, the network “Youth for Public Transport” (Y4PT), an idea inspired by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), launches its second worldwide Flash Mob to promote the use of public transport.

After its successful 2010 Flash mob “Public Transport makes us feel like home”, which attracted hundreds of young people in 10 cities across the globe, Y4PT calls once more on young people to support improved urban mobility through public transport, in a new edition of the worldwide event, under the theme “Public Transport makes us free!”

Next 18 September, on the official Car-free day, young people in Bogota, Brasilia, Brussels, Dubai, Yekaterinburg, Guadalajara, Hamburg, Helsinki, Kathmandu, Melbourne, Monterrey, New Delhi, Rome, Saint-Louis, Salvador de Bahia, Sao Paulo, Sohar and Tallin will unite to affirm their commitment to public transport and to demonstrate that mobility-related issues, such as sustainability, respect for the planet, urbanism and social inclusion form an essential part of their lifestyle.

Since 2005, when the first “Youth project” was created, UITP has always considered youth as a priority and has shown its commitment to integrating young people as stakeholders in the public transport community through a series of initiatives – youth parliaments, workshops and cooperation programmes. Six years of positive results have made Y4PT what it is today: a youth network that shares knowledge and experiences of promoting sustainable urban mobility.

The launch of the worldwide Flash mob is one way of showing Y4PT’s endorsement of the UN International Year of Youth (IYY), closing today with the celebration of the International Youth Day. This initiative was established by the United Nations to recognise the activities and efforts of youth around the world to enhance global society. It also aims to promote ways to engage them in becoming more actively involved in making positive contributions to their communities.

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Note to Editors

The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international network of public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It is a platform for worldwide cooperation, business development and the sharing of know-how between its 3,400 members from 92 countries. UITP is the global advocate of public transport and sustainable mobility, and the promoter of innovations in the sector. Visit our website www.uitp.org

For more information about Y4PT, please visit www.y4pt.org.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Y4PTransport | Twitter: www.youtube.com/Y4PT | Flickr: www.flickr.com/people/Y4PT | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/Y4PTransport

Press Contact: Sarah D'Angelo | UITP Press Junior Manager

Direct phone: +32 (0)2 6636639 | Fax: +32 (0)2 6601072 | sarah.dangelo@uitp.org