Enrique Peñalosa speaks on Economic Justice and Urban Transportation

Feb 7 2009 - 3:30pm

Did you ever wonder how the urban space could be redesigned to be equitable and accessible for all people, whether walking, biking, using public transportation, or driving? Come see an inspiring presentation by Enrique Peñalosa, an internationally reknowned speaker who transformed Bogotá, Colombia into a model of transportation justice during his term as mayor.

Enrique Peñalosa speaks at Bikes Not Bombs

Saturday February 7th
3:30 - 5:00
At the BNB Hub, 284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MA

Livable Streets and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) are bringing Peñalosa (an avid biker!) to Boston for four days of activities. Bikes Not Bombs is proud to host his presentation on transforming cities into more equitable and happier places to live, on Saturday February 7th at 3:30. You are invited to come hear the talk and ask questions afterwards! This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is encouraged but not required.
(To RSVP, drop a line to mail_at_bikesnotbombs.org).
Make sure you see Peñalosa, either here or at other venues!

MORE PEÑALOSA PRESENTATIONS:

Boston Public Library, Copley Thurs Feb 5th, 6:30pm
MIT Fri Feb 6th, 12:00pm
Northeastern Univ Fri Feb 6th, 3:30pm

This 4-day series of events is sponsored by LivableStreets Alliance and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, in collaboration with Bikes Not Bombs, WalkBoston, Institute for Human Centered Design, Charles River Conservancy, MassBike
Bogota Plaza

About Enrique Peñalosa

An accomplished public official, economist and administrator, Enrique Peñalosa completed his three-year term as Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia on December 31, 2000. While mayor, Peñalosa was responsible for numerous radical improvements to the city and its citizens. He promoted a city model giving priority to children and public spaces and restricting private car use, building hundreds of kilometers of sidewalks, bicycle paths, pedestrian streets, greenways, and parks. After organizing a Car-Free Day in 2000, he was awarded the Stockholm Challenge Award and rewarded by a referendum vote endorsing an annual car-free day. Peñalosa also led efforts to improve Bogotá's marginal neighborhoods through citizen involvement; planted more than 100,000 trees; created a new, highly successful bus-based transit system; and turned a deteriorated downtown avenue into a dynamic pedestrian public space. He helped transform the city's attitude from one of negative hopelessness to one of pride and hope, developing a model for urban improvement based on the equal rights of all people to transportation, education, and public spaces. This was done by ignoring calls for a major elevated highway project, and using the money instead for projects that didn't just serve the wealthy minority 20% of city dwellers who own an automobile. Peñalosa believes that, "A city can be friendly to people or it can be friendly to cars, but it can't be both," and "a citizen on a $30 bike is equally important to someone driving in a $30,000 car." At first Peñalosa's agenda almost got him impeached, but by the end of his term he was overwhelmingly popular, and he is running for the mayoral seat again in October 2009.

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