Because walking is beautiful!

For several years has been a tradition in EDEN center in joining common initiatives or initiates environmental actions that take place along the European Mobility Week (16-22 September 2017). This action was held under the theme of clean, shared and intelligent mobility, followed by the slogan “Sharing gets you further”.

We have been attracted from this theme, which goes in the same direction and with the principles that EDEN pursues in its work. Therefore we decided to promote the walking free in a peaceful walking. Together with other environmental organizations, we decided that the main focus of this action day would be pedestrians, citizens in Tirana who wants to walk and encourage others to walk. The pedestrians on one side by walking had the possibility to understand the importance that walking has for their health and how this can positively affects the protection of the environment.

If I am a citizen that has the right to walk, a question may arise: where do I go? The sidewalk would of course be the logical answer. These sidewalks are so much missed in some areas of Tirana and so narrow and almost inexistent in other ones. The sidewalks for pedestrians are difficult to walk from the cyclists even in those areas where they are completed on signaling. In the face of this situation, with a metropolis that is always expanding, and with obvious shortage of sidewalks and bicycle lanes, we decided to look for sidewalks and ask do we have sidewalks where to walk by?

On 22nd of September, the staff of EDEN Center, member of other ENGOs and random citizens, joined a peaceful walking to promote walking by foot. With a well-defined itinerary, a group gathered for this environmental action, walked in the sidewalks of Tirana, in areas where there is a visible problem, but also in those places where the sidewalks are in a proper standards for walking. This walking activity aimed to emphasize the need for sidewalks, the improvement of the road sign for the pedestrians, without leaving a positive assessment of the areas where the sidewalks and signaling are provided. The activity sparked the attention of many citizens, who pulled out of about 50 pedestrians marching in T-shirts with messages: "I want my sidewalk" and with awareness banners.

It was an initiative that was embraced and appreciated by every citizen, because it represents in itself the thought, the worry the need of everyone to have what is the right that belongs to; the one that it is common and invites us all to a safe and sustainable living, in an aware community that protects the environment.

Because the environment belongs to us all; Because walking is beautiful!

We thank the tireless environmental organizations, EDEN volunteers and the citizens. Follow the photos of this action day on EDEN facebook page by cliking here

This walking action took place under the project "Perspective for EU Integration - Engaging active citizens and civil society in environmental policies." This activity took place within the Achieve program, implemented by REC Albania and financially supported by the European Union in Albania