International conference VELOFORUM organizing committee opens call for hosting city for the 11th conference in October 2019. Applications from candidate cities are accepted until September 17, 2018.
WHAT IS VELOFORUM?
This is a conference on the intersection of transport policy, local development and civil society, which is being held since 2009. The main target groups of the conference are the leaders of the public sector, representatives of local authorities, specialists in urban planning and transport infrastructure, students, business owners. On average, the Veloforum annually gathers 100-150 participants, in the past few years speakers and participants from Ukraine, Belarus, France, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Great Britain, Germany has participated. Veloforum has already taken place in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Lviv, Kryvy Rih, Kharkiv, Mykolayiv and other cities, and in October 2018 it will take place in Ivano-Frankivsk.
FOR WHOM THIS COMPETITION IS?
To host Veloforum is an honorary mission and recognition. Many activists and mayors would like the Veloforum to be held in their city. Therefore, the organizing committee for the fourth consecutive year will choose the host city on a competitive basis, receiving and evaluating the applications of candidate cities. The initiators of the application may be an employee or departmental unit in the mayor’s office, a city development agency, or a public organization that has strong cooperation with the mayor’s office. If you want your city to host Veloforum you need to convince us that your city will be the best place for an annual biggest meeting of the cycling-urban environment. To do this, you need to prepare a qualitative and timely application, in the highest possible degree of completeness and persuasiveness. Prior to the filing of applications, cities of Ukraine that have the status of regional centers (or similar) are encouraged. Applications may be submitted by local authorities (city council, executive committee or their structural subdivision), communal enterprises, public organizations, initiative groups, higher educational institutions and other non-profit institutions.
HOST CITY SELECTION CRITERIA
The decision on the host city will be taken by the commission by consensus. Important criteria for decision making will be:
- support of the event by the heads of local self-government bodies;
- availability, quality and free of charge for the conference room;
- present achievements of the city in the development of cycling;
- reliability, organizational capacity and motivation of local co-organizers (initiators of the application);
availability of opportunities and willingness to involve co-financing and partners at the city level.
The incomplete or untimely submitted application can lead to refusal of its consideration.
HOW TO APPLY?
If you want to accept “Veloforum-2019”, please send the following materials:
- Letter of Interest in hosting Veloforum 2019.
- A video up to 3 minutes, which explains why Veloforum 2019 must be held in your city.
- Photos of the proposed venue for the conference, which must have at least two halls: one with a capacity of 50-100 people, and a second capacity of 100-150 people.
A letter of interest should answer the following questions: who you are, what organization or institution you represent; which organizations, institutions and groups you can involve in the process with you (and who have already confirmed their desire to be actively involved); what broad topic (or several topics) you would like to see as the key motive of the conference, and why; why your city will be interesting for the visitors of the conference, except for the participation in the conference; your strategy and available opportunities to ensure co-financing of the conference; the possibility of providing the appropriate premises for the conference on a non-cash basis; How do you plan to cooperate with us to promote the upcoming event at the local / national level; what extra cycling and public events can be arranged / devoted to the conference (opening of new bicycle facilities, cycling tours, etc.); Are you ready to provide the full support of the conference from the side of the city government and the personal presence of the mayor. Letter of interest please send to the form of the organization, with a signature. Please send a scan copy of the letter.
Video – We ask you to prepare a video in any format, but no longer than 3 minutes, which will explain to the selection committee, why your city deserves to take Veloforum. In the video, you can show the city, its colors, cyclists, and we highly recommend that you include people to the videoe – those who initiated and supported the application for the Veloforum. The video should be uploaded to Youtube and you should send this link along with other materials.
APPLICATION DEADLINE – September 17, 2018.
Applications should be sent to Vadym Denysenko, national work coordinatorof the Association of Cyclists in Kyiv: [email protected], tel. 063-700-16-12.