Since 12 June the exhibition Dreams on Wheels is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The city learns now that cycling is not only about sport and can be a pleasant way of mobility in such a beautiful city as Rio de Janeiro. Through the Danish Cultural Institute and the Danish Embassy in Brazil, that brought the exhibition, there were activities regarding the theme of the exhibition such as a seminar, speeches and bike rides. The list of activities included a visit to one of the cycling paths of the city and a check list was made. After the visit, participants could discuss the points that needed to be changed from the user´s point of view.

A report with these suggestions will be delivered to the mayor of the city. Almost two hundred people attended the opening night, including the Secretary of Culture of Rio de Janeiro. Also people from other states, non-governmental organisations and the society in general. Families were able to teach children how cycling can be healthy for the environment, to the city and themselves. At the end of the exhibition, visitors saw how one of the oldest means of transport could be transformed into the most current, practical, modern and convenient ally in urban mobility and increase the quality of life in Brazilian cities as well.

The schedule – Rio de Janeiro: The exhibition is on show at Centro de Arte Municipal Hélio Oiticica Rua Luís de Camões, 60 Centro – Rio de Janeiro
12 June – Opening cocktail
13 June – 20km bicycle ride from Copacabana Beach to the Exhibition Centre . A speech by Zé Lobo, director of the NGO Transporte Ativo about urban mobility and cycling
16 June – Seminar ‘Bicycle and the cities’ Lectures and discussions about urban mobility, urban design and city’s for people
17 June – Visit to one of the bicycle paths of the city (Botafogo-Lagoa). Discussion and elaboration of a dossier suggesting improvements to the path and the neighborhood
08 July – Speech ‘A Carioca (person from Rio de Janeiro) clycling in Copenhague) by Zé Lobo, director of the NGO Transporte Ativo
25 July – The exhibition travels to Brasília

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The title of last Thursday’s Manifest event, Dreams on Wheels, captured the magical, childlike quality of cycling. And for a small group of us it was kicked off in the same vain – a group ride from City Hall to the site in the Pearl.

Nothing captures the childhood fun of cycling as a group ride and I felt that same delight as Mayor Sam Adams, Mikael Colville-Andersen, Roger Gellar, Bike builder Tony Pereira, Slate Olson with Rapha, Tom Miller, Jonathan Maus, and I headed down the street with our red bike lights flashing.Upon arrival Mikael Colville-Andersen, Denmark’s cycling Ambassador, set the stage for the Q & A session by opening the evening with a presentation describing “cycling” in Denmark and how Copenhagen achieved getting its population to take 55% of all their trips on bicycles. He also shared that the general public in Copenhagen is polled every two years to inquire as to why people ride their bikes and have found that:

56% ride because easy and fast
19% ride to get their daily exercise
6 % ride because it is cheap
1 % ride to for environmental reasons

To turn a dream into reality there must be a plan and the proposed Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 outlines how Portland can turn its dream into reality.

So what exactly does the Portland Bicycle Plan propose?

The plan recommends expanding the network of planned bikeways based on 3 key strategies:

1) Introduce safe, comfortable, attractive bikeways that can carry more bicyclists and serve all types and all ages of users, building on the best design practices of great bicycling cities around the world.
2) Construct dense network of bikeways so that all Portland residents can easily find and access a route
3) Create a cohesive network with direct routes that take people where they want to go.

A few highlighted strategic implementation recommendations:

• Develop a street design guide that includes bicycle design guidelines
• Expand encouragement programs that provide services and equipment, support behavior changes, raise awareness and provide incentives that increase bicycling
• Build as much of the bicycle transportation system as possible, as quickly as possible
• Fund and construct projects in areas underserved by the bikeway network that score high in indicators of disadvantage

Press release from Mayor Sam Adams Portland, Oregon USA

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The exhibition takes place during Bike Week in the Civic Offices Atrium, Wood Quay, from 14-18 June 2010. Do you find it normal that in the middle of a snow storm a lady rides home with her groceries and a baby on her bike. Or could you picture yourself racing beside two lanes of cyclists to work? What about taking your cello or even a Christmas tree with a trike from A to B? Danes do… that is what makes Denmark so special: being liberated from the gloomy prospect of having to choose a form of motorised transport for lack of a better option… Danes enjoy this freedom to the full and have been doing so since the 1960s, when they revived their cycling culture after a period of car domination in the post-war era.

Fashion on Wheels at Dublin City Hall

In collaboration with the Dreams on Wheels photographer and cycling culture blogger per excellence, Mikael Colville-Andersen and Copenhagen Cycle Chic, the worlds first fashion show on two wheels was staged. DUBLIN CYCLE CHIC was showcasing both Danish fashion and product design at the prominent location of Dublin City Hall.

Dublin Cycle Chic was framed by platform of Dreams on Wheels -the exhibition that shows what the Danes have done, what their concept of lifestyle is and how this type of “slow living” integrates efficiency with environmentalism so naturally. First shown in Paris in 2002, this exhibit has traveled the world promoting urban cycling as a viable personal transportation alternative. It provides examples of Urban Planning strategies, designer bicycles that fit your needs, and hint at the philosophy behind making it possible for everyone to partake in the sport of commuting without harming our blue planet.

Full details at Dublin City Cycling Blog, press release from 10 June 2010.

The exhibition will show how people can contribute to combating climate change and take an active part in their city and take an active part in their health! During the event, there will be seminars on cycling and energy efficiency, cycling and sustainable infrastructure and cycling and health. The seminars are a platform to investigate the benefits of cycling, what it means for the environment, for the city and for the people, but also what cycling can bring to a city like Saint Petersburg. Dreams on Wheels is linked with the month of festivities in the city, which is celebrating its birthday on 30 May, where there will also be a bike ride.

Press release from The Royal Danish Consulate General St. Petersburg 26 April 2010

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MAY 2010 “MONTH OF CYCLING”

Dreams On Wheels shown as a part of ‘May 2010 – Month of Cycling’, Embassy of Denmark, Ljubljana.in cooperation with the Municipality of Ljubljana presents the exhibition ‘Dreams on Wheels’ which will be displayed at the Ljubljana City Hall’s Desni atrij until 10 May 2010. The official opening will take place on 3 May 2010 at 16:30 at Ljubljana City Hall. The exhibition consists of a bicycle variety, ranging from functional bikes to funny and modern bikes as well as a comprehensive collection of photos and posters. Furthermore, it showcases Danish cycling tradition, bicycle design, and urban planning. The intention of the exhibition is to promote cycling as an alternative form of transportationIn Ljubljana, the Dreams on Wheels exhibition is a part of “May -Month of Cycling”. Enthusiasts and the curious are welcome to join! The programme includes:

Monday, 3 May 2010
00.00 “Troikas Cycling To Work”
15.30 – 19.30 “Design Your Own Helmet”
Location: In front of Ljubljana City Hall.
16.30 - Dreams on Wheels Danish Cycling Culture for Urban Sustainability
17.30 – 18.30 “Through baroque to pile-dwelling and further to modern urbanism”
Location: In front of the Ljubljana City Hall.

Monday, 10 May 2010
15.00 – 18.00 “Move for Health Day: Are you fit enough for cycling?”
Location: Fužine Castle

Wednesday, 12 May 2010
9.00 – 11.00 “Cycling not driving”
Location: MFA Courtyard

Saturday, 15 May 2010
9.00 – 11.30 “Bicycle repair shop free-of-charge”
Location: Beginning of Cankarjeva cesta

Friday, 21 May 2010
9.00 – 12.00 “A Cycling Insight on Spica and its surroundings from Denmark”
Location: Ljubljana City Hall, Velika sejna dvorana

Saturday, 22 May 2010
9.00 – 11.30 “Bicycle repair shop free-of-charge”
Location: Beginning of Cankarjeva cesta

Thursday, 27 May 2010
16.00 – 20.00 “Cycling is cool”
16.00 – 19.30 “Design Your Own Helmet”
18.00 - 19.30 “Open Air Coffee-Shop on Breg: Higher culture, safer cycling”
24.00 “Troikas Cycling To Work”
Location:Promenade on Breg

Saturday, 29 May 2010
9.00 – 11.30 “Bicycle repair shop free-of-charge”
Location: Beginning of Cankarjeva cesta

Thursday, 3 June 2010
17.00 “Cycling all year around”
Location: Ljubljana City Hall.

Press release from Embassy of Denmark, Ljubljana

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Dreams on Wheels in Prague is organised in collaboration with Auto*Mat, Nadace Partnerstvi and the Czech Ministry of Transport the Czech Ministry of Transport

The intention of the exhibition is to promote cycling as an alternative form of transportation and to show how the benefits derived from it relate to important topics such as climate change, energy conservation, the environment and health. Denmark is using bicycles the most as an integrated part of the transport system. This is partially an education effort, a result of very high car prizes, but arguably mainly the result of the development of bicycle friendly infrastructure, bi-cyclepaths along roads, independent bicycle-roads, preferential position at road-crossing etc. Brno, Prague and the Czech Republic as such, one might say, is not quite there. There is – arguably – still a lot to do. One really positive development is, though, that still more of the inhabitants of Brno and Prague chose to bike.

Press releases from Embassy of Denmark, Prague 6 April 2010

For more information visit the Embassy of Denmark in Prague.

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Dreams on Wheels in Brno –Czech Republic- was complemented on 7 April 2010 by a Czech – Danish Seminar “Walking and Biking in the Cities”, which was linking up both to the official representation, back to Denmark and to numerous local cycling associations and enthusiasts. As such, the seminar should support the cycling and walking transportation as an equal and integrated part of the transportation system and as a suitable way of transport to work. This platform will introduce examples of good architectonical and transportation solutions of cycling culture in Denmark, and compare with the development in the Czech Republic.

Speakers on the day include:
Ambassador of Denmark, Mr Ole E. Moesby
Mayor of Brno, Mr Roman Onderka
Martin Ander, Deputy Mayor of Brno
Mikael Colville-Andersen Copenhagenize, Denmark
Lars Gemzøe, Gehl Architects, Denmark
Adolf Jebavý, ADOS Brno
Juraj Flamík, Nadace Partnerství Brno (Foundation Partnership)
Luboš Kala, Partnerství o.p.s.
Ondřej Fábera, Drážní stezky
Petr Kazda, Cyklisté vítáni“ (Bikers Welcome)

Events continue in Prague:
20 April 2010 – opening of the exhibition connected with a press conference promoting a critical mass on 22 April
21 April 2010 - national cyclo-conference called Transfer of know-how from Denmark to the Czech Republic (Mikael Colville and Jan Gehl attending)
22 April 2010 – critical mass focused on cargo – what can you carry on the bike

For more information visit the Embassy of Denmark

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On the occasion of COP15 Brussels will be in the sign of the bicycle on Tuesday the 1st of December. The Danish exhibition “Dreams on Wheels” will be officially opened at the Brussels-Luxembourg station at the same time as the new bicycle point “point-vélo” where you can rent a bicycle or get you own repaired. In the afternoon a seminar on cycling policies and sustainable urban planning will take place in the Parliament of the Brussels region.

Dreams on Wheels; experiences from Denmark
With Danish bicycle culture as a starting point Dreams on Wheels is an exhibition that promotes cycling as an alternative means of transport in the cities. The exhibition shows best practises from Denmark for example in relation to innovative industrial design and sustainable city planning. Dreams on Wheels is part of the public diplomacy framework of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has become an official prelude to COP15. “We are happy to open this exhibition here in Brussels just a week before the climate conference begins”, says Jørgen Molde, the Danish Ambassador to Belgium.

Secretary General Bernhard Ensink, ECF, State Secretary of Brussels Capital region Bruno De Lille, Danish Ambassador Jørgen Molde and Urban Designer & Curator Thomas Ermacora, just before all take of to the Brussels Parliament by bike

There will be several speakers at the opening, among others Jannie Haeck, CEO from SNCB , Bruno De Lille, Secretary of State on Mobility, Thomas Ermacora, the curator of the exhibition and Jørgen Molde, the Danish Ambassador. Refreshments will be served before everybody bikes together to the Brussels regions’ parliament (for those not in possession of a bicycle JCDecaux will provide Villo! city bikes) where the Danish Embassy in cooperation with the Brussels region has organised a seminar that will examine what is being done in matters of urban sustainable city planning and how to get more people to use their bicycle. There will be speakers from the European Union, experts from Denmark and ministers from the Brussels region.

Curator Thomas Ermacora opening the exhibition

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The exhibit will coincide with the United Nations International Climate Conference set for 3-14 December in Copenhagen.

San Francisco— The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) in conjunction with the Embassy of Denmark , Washington, D.C. will bring the acclaimed exhibit Dreams on Wheels to San Francisco City Hall beginning November 19. Developed by curator Thomas Ermacora in collaboration with Danish architect and urban design consultant Jan Gehl, Dreams on Wheels showcases Danish cycling culture and Denmark’s commitment to sustainability via urban design that promotes active transportation.

“The SFMTA is proud to share this exciting exhibit on bicycling with San Francisco and the Bay Area,” said Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., SFMTA Executive Director/CEO. “We know that it will be of great interest to our growing bicycling community.”

The Dreams on Wheels exhibit has made an international journey, most recently stopping in London and Portland, Oregon. The exhibit merges urban cycling culture, design intelligence and environmental consciousness and features case studies on how cycling has affected Danish culture. It also considers the history and social development of biking as a viable transportation alternative.

Read the SFMTA NEWSLETTER Fall 2009

Press release from Embassy of Denmark, Washington DC of 17 November 2009

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The Danish Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and various cycling organisations is presenting the Danish cycling exhibition, “Dreams on Wheels” in response to Denmark is hosting COP15 – the UN Climate Change Summit – in December 2009 in Copenhagen.

Dreams on Wheels is an exhibition originally created by Thomas Ugo Ermacora - and is a conceptual arena for promoting urban cycling as a viable transport alternative. The exhibition is a showcase for the Danish cycling tradition, bicycle design, and urban planning, and has among other places been shown at The Danish House in Paris, harbour-front Toronto, Danish Design Centre and in the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

Press release from The Royal Danish Consulate in Spain 8 November, 2009

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