Action Guide for Bike for Europe Side-Event Organisers We have one Europe. Let’s bike for it together! Welcome the teams and get your community involved
Why do we Bike for Europe? Bike for Europe is a cross-border cycling tour which aims to promote a healthy and active lifestyle, and social inclusion through sports and physical activity. Alongside these aims it also intends to promote the bicycle as a sustainable means of transportation. Two teams of cyclists will cycle across Europe, starting on 1 September 2018, from two different starting countries, the Netherlands and Greece. The tour will finish on 22 September 2018 in Vienna, as the Austrian capital will be holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, and will also kick-off the 2018 European Week of Sport. The tour will be led by two teams and joined by citizens from 11 different countries biking through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece. Side-events have also been organized in cities off the route. Examples of such activations are Bike Yoga, cycling and safety workshops for migrants, or activities where everyone can demonstrate their skills on a bike!. #BikeForEurope #BeActive #CyclingForAll
Help us promote Bike for Europe! Get active on social media
Before starting to organise your Bike for Europe side event make sure you visit our website and like the Bike for Europe Facebook Event (see QR-Code). We are always keeping our eyes open for great stories to share. Be it about a fun bike adventure, social inclusion, or a beautiful moment while being active – we are happy to hear about it! Stay updated about what’s happening and follow us on Twitter @ISCA_tweet or Instagram via our NowWeMOVE Channel using #BikeForEurope #BeActive #CyclingForAll
Photo by NordWood Themes
IDEA #1 ORGANISE A LIVE Q&A WITH THE TEAM
IDEA #2 ORGANISE A SIDE EVENT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN IN Want to get more members at your cycling club? Or more people signing up for your fitness classes, biking workshops or other activities? Or do you just want to show them what you can do? Organise a side event to greet the Bike for Europe teams when they arrive, and create a buzz in your city! Make sure you get the local authorities approval before you showcase your event in public spaces – once you have the approval, just go for it and get noticed!
IDEA #3 SHOW OFF YOUR CITY’S LANDMARK What is your city’s most exciting tourist attraction? Check the Bike for Europe route and see when the team will arrive in your city – and make sure you grab that photo opportunity with both hands when they pass through! Organise a side event that will attract people to your local landmark and keep them occupied, active and interested until the tour arrives! Inform local media outlets to get the most out of your promotion – your tourism board will love you for it (unless you are the tourism board, of course!)
IDEA #4 ARRANGE A MEETING FOR THE TEAM WITH YOUR LOCAL MAYOR Local authorities, Bike for Europe has put your city on its map and will pass through on its way to Vienna – this is a great chance to celebrate! What better way to welcome the team than with an official greeting from your mayor? Show your support for physical activity, active transport and the inclusive power of sport!
IDEA #6 INVITE YOUR LOCAL MEDIA TO COVER THE EVENT Your city will be in the spotlight when the Bike for Europe cross-border cycling tour arrives. Don’t let your local media miss out on it – let them know in advance and invite them to interview the team. This is a great opportunity for publicity!
IDEA #7 GET YOUR COMMUNITY ACTIVE FOR A GOOD CAUSE Use this great opportunity and tell your community and friends about our Bike for Europe Kilometre Donation Challenge. The idea is to bring Europe and its citizens together to show their support for a more united Europe through cycling. This charitable campaign has set itself the goal of collecting 1.000.000 cycling kilometres to support the Bike for Europe cross-border cycling tour, while also promoting healthy lifestyles, cycling and solidarity among Europeans.
Make your event visible! Use our resources and brand your event! Find all kinds of promotional material templates on the Bike for Europe Website and add your local partners, change the message to your local language and get people on the saddle in order to have a more active lifestyle. Try to focus the branding on the places where most people and media representatives will most likely be at in order to get the best pictures possible. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help. info@isca-web.org
NOW GET ACTIVE AND WELCOME THE BIKE FOR EUROPE TEAM IN YOUR CITY! REGISTER YOUR EVENT OR DONATE YOUR KILOMETRES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED! VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE. You are also welcome to contact our project coordinator directly: Laura-Maria Tiidla lmt@isca-web.org +45 21 58 84 63 #BikeForEurope #BeActive #CyclingForAll