Empowering Youth and Reclaiming Streets During EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK
A Look Back at the Skopje Graz Youth Exchange in Austria
YOUTH PARTICIPATIONEDUCATION
From September 14th to 18th, the Skopje Graz: Our city, our ride Youth Exchange successfully brought together young participants from Veloschools Organization (Skopje) alongside local youth from the AusbildungsFit (AFit) center in Graz. Organized in celebration of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, the initiative aimed to foster sustainable urban mobility, active cycling and civic participation involvement among young people across borders.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in a diverse array of hands on educational and outdoor activities designed to build practical skills, deepen their understanding of urban planning, and cultivate strong community ties thorugh cycling. The program kicked off with interactive educational games centered on traffic laws and cycling safety, providing a collaborative foundation for responsible riding habits. Following these initial sessions, the group rolled up their sleeves for a practical workshop dedicated to basic bike mechanics, gaining essential maintenance and repair (if necessary) the bikes they used during the week.
To connect theory with real world urban design, the youth hopped on their bicycles to conduct a firsthand analysis of Graz's road networks and cycling infrastructure. Their spatial evaluation extended into the surrounding landscape through an interactive mapping activity, where participants documented both high quality routes and areas in need of infrastructure improvements. The adventure continued with a visit to Radlobby Graz, where a specialized workshop on citizen participation empowered the young delegates to actively advocate for safer and greener urban environments. The week wrapped up with a scenic long distance excursion to Frohnleiten, highlighting the power and freedom of active travel.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Veloschools, Afit educators (Leah and Ingo <3) and everyone who made this exchange possible, as well as to all the dedicated young participants from Skopje and AFit whose enthusiasm made the week a resounding success.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or [Name of the granting authority, e.g., OeAD / EACEA]. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Follow us for more photos of the event and also for further updates and detailed developments regarding the future steps of this project.
BIKE empowers the generations of tomorrow with skills for healthy and green commuting in cities and beyond.
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