Ljubljana back in the saddle to host the largest cycling congress in the world

The Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre will host the Velo City cycling congress, 14-17 June 2022. The event had been due to take place in Ljubljana in 2020 before being postponed due to Covid. Now the largest cycling congress in the world is back with the theme, ‘Cycling the change’. Organisers the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) say the preliminary numbers for the congress are “very promising” and that they expect at least a thousand delegates. An exhibition at the congress will showcase the latest innovations for a better cycling experience in cities and beyond. Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Jankovic said he was pleased that his city, which was the European Green Capital 2016, is hosting the conference. “We are proud that the European Cyclists’ Federation has entrusted us with the organisation of this meeting, where we will highlight the latest activities, guidelines and measures in the field of bicycling in the cities.” Deputy mayor of Ljubljana Janez Kozelj, added: “The bicycle is not only a means of active mobility, but also a tool of active citizenship. On bicycles we turn the wheels of progress.” Henk Swarttouw, ECF president, said: “Ljubljana is a forward-thinking city and cycling is part of the solution, all the more so in the current climate crisis Velo City 2022 Ljubljana will offer a high-level opportunity for policy-makers, academia, industry and consumers to acknowledge the key role the bicycle plays in building a more liveable world. The Slovenian capital’s largest venue is also expecting two major conferences in May – The Eastern European Regional Veterinary Conference of the EERVC (4-7 May) and the conference of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (12-14 May). The 17th European Congress of Psychologists is also booked in to Cankarjev dom, 5- 8 July, another event postponed from 2020. The venue then looks to stage the ESPN Medical Conference (22-25 June) and the PAGE Social Science Event (28 June-1 July). In May, Cankarjev dom will also host ICCA’s ‘Clients-supplier business workshop – international venues’ aimed at international scientific-professional associations and congress centre representatives.