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Project stopped
(31-3-2002) Due to lack of availability of its web administrator this project is stopped.
The Bicicleta Solidaria project is proposing to collect used bikes from all over Europe. These bikes will be sent to countries in the Third World where they will be reconditioned in workshops, specially created for this purpose, and then distributed to people who regularly need mobility for fulfiling their basic necessities such as collecting water, food, getting to school etc..
23-5-99.- The project is at the design stage. We aim to develop the project along the lines expressed in this document together with the corrections and suggestions of everyone who wishes to help by sending their ideas (see Debate)
Chapters:
Interesting links:
http://www.oneworld.org/liaison/welcome.htm NGOs for developpement in Europe
http://www.dcf.dk/ecf/index.htm ECF European Cyclists Federation
http://www.ibike.org/ The International Bicycle Fund is a non-governmental, nonprofit organization, promoting sustainable transport and international understanding.
http://www.yben.org/ The Youth Bicycle Education Network (YBEN) links, supports, and strengthens organizations that use the bicycle as a vehicle for youth development and community building
Project PrinciplesAnother NGO?
It's the classic dilemma: Should solidarity projects be the responsibility of Public Bodies? What part should private initiative play?
We are frustrated by the lack of action by international organizations such as the UN and, to a greater or lesser extent all the First World countries, so far as the imbalance between rich and poor is concerned. The fact that these are democratic countries indicates the lack of solidarity at an individual level as well, and when we vote we are more interested in the political parties which will improve our personal quality of life rather than those which offer a greater degree of solidarity with the rest of humanity. Faced with this lack of action (or lack of solidarity) from the official national and international bodies, the NGOs offer a route for individual solidarity, each one with its own particular interpretation and area of specialization. Unfortunately the little they can do is absolutely inadequate, their lack of co-ordination is obvious and, what is worse, the official bodies use them as excuses to justify their own inaction.
This project does not aim to create a new NGO but to open one more route for solidarity irrespective of whether or not this ends up being financed and co-ordinated by a small handful of people or by a public body (The European Union?). Solidarity, whose short term aim is, to provide the basic transport needs for as many people as possible. As with any Third World project, the long term aim is redress the imbalance and thus make the project unnecessary.
Transport and development
Mobility means freedom and is an important ingredient of the quality of life. The easier it is for us to move from one place to another, the greater our sense of well-being.
The technological level of land transport in a particular region of the planet could be considered at first glance as an indicator of its stage of development. A second look reveals the need to take other factors into account which substantially modify the first impression. For example: does quality transport necessarily mean a high technological level for short distance travel (<10 km)? Is it rational to use cars for short journeys? Obviously not in some cases. A look at some of our cities reveals that the car and the motorbike, or rather the way we use them, is having a negative impact on our lives. Just consider the high number of traffic accidents, atmospheric and noise pollution, stress etc.. There are towns where life has become inhuman attacked by the noise, the speed and the fumes from the motor vehicles. Therefore ratios such as the number of cars per inhabitant do not give a real indication of a better quality of life, it is the rational use of the different means of transport what would improve it substantially.
Why bikes?
It is not only the "First World" that plans and use its means of transport inadequately. As the Third World countries "develop" they incorporate our horrors with their own, and the use of the motor vehicle is one of these. It is obvious that the sale of cars, motorways, petroleum and its derivatives, etc, is much more profitable than bicycles. Thus we export our individualism, our lack of solidarity and our degradation as a species.
On the contrary the bicycle respects nature, it does not need any fuel, what means a sustainable development, and can make life much easier in many societies where people have to walk long distances often to get basic necessities such as water. It also offers many children the chance to go to school. Bicycles are cheap and easy to maintain. The knowledge needed can be learned in a short time and with this the costs of wear and tear and breakdowns are minimal.
We can consider, as a basic principle, that this project aims to spread our claim for the use of bicycles, as part of a rational transportation policy, throughout the Third World countries, within a frame of sustainable development.
We are eager to know your opinions, at they are welcome
Project principles Phases Collection and transportation Creating workshops at destination Management and control of the project Debate
