Family photo of the World Cycling Alliance at its official launch in Adelaide at Velo-city Global 2014
Launching World Cycling AllianceThe WCA is an ECF initiative to build a global network of non-governmental organizations with a substantial interest in promoting cycling. The main objective of the network is not only to advocate for cycling as a means of transport within international institutions – such as UN, OECD/ITF, World Bank – but also to promote and support the exchange of knowledge, expertise and co-operation of cycling associations and organizations worldwide. The decision of the ECF Board to create the World Cycling Alliance was taken during Velo-city 2013 in Vienna. The European Cyclists’ Federation proposed the creation of a World Cycling Alliance as a center of coordination, a platform of knowledge exchange and a strong advocacy voice targeting international organizations. Other organizations represent sports and industry on a global level, but there is nothing equivalent for daily and leisure cycling. Cycling associations from all continents showed their interest to be part of a World Cycling Alliance and requested from ECF to take the lead. ECF decided to draw a roadmap for the founding and launching of WCA. An important step was to participate in the World Urban Forum 7 from UN Habitat in Medellin, Colombia (8-11 April 2014). There, ECF organized a networking event to present WCA to the world and it was a big success. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with UN-Habitat, solidifying the growing need for ECF to further develop cycling worldwide. Click here to catch up on Bernhard Ensink’s presentation at the World Cycling Alliance launch in Adelaide. And Click here to view our press release announcing the launch of the World Cycling Alliance The WCA was officially founded on 29 May 2014 in Adelaide and launched at the closing ceremony of Velo-city Global 2014 in Adelaide, Australia (30 May). ECF Secretary General and acting Secretary General of WCA, Dr. Bernhard Ensink: “It is important that the network will have a governance board with members from all continents. The idea behind it is that it should grow bottom-up and not just steered by ECF people.” You can download his presentation on the panel to the right. Governance structureThe Annual General Meeting of ECF in Dublin on the 26th of April approved the proposal to found and to launch the WCA at Velo-city Global 2014 in Adelaide based on the also approved Terms of Reference. These Terms call for the creation of an International Steering Board that is to oversee the development and governance of the Alliance. At its centre is the necessity for a worldwide governance structure – if the WCA is to be the voice of cycling from all four corners of the planet, so does its Board. That is why, the Board is to be composed of at least one member from each continent. The World Cycling Alliance’s International Steering BoardThe WCA will be governed by an International Steering Board for the initial years of its existence. It will oversee the establishment of a permanent governing structure that best serves the missions and objectives of the Alliance. Its Terms of Reference specify a maximum of 12 Board members. Currently, a decision is pending on two extra Board members (one each from Africa and South America) who will complete its formation to becoming truly representative of all four corners of our planet. Reaching out to cycling NGOs worldwideMost importantly, the WCA was created as a way to reach out to all non-governmental organizations who wish to come together and to promote cycling. As such, WCA is looking to expand and is calling out to organizations with a substantial interest in the promotion of cycling around the world to get in touch. Membership is open to any NGO. The newly-formed World Cycling Alliance looks forward to establishing new and fruitful relationships in the coming years. The Steering Board invites interested NGOs to get in touch by contacting the WCA Secretariat, held by ECF. The Steering Board will then review applications and decide on the accession of new members. The Secretariat can be contacted by email at: wca@ecf.com For further information on the network, the ECF contact is Marcio Deslandes: m.deslandes@ecf.com Source: www.ecf.comRelated articles:
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