South Korean Updates: ‘Car-Free Week’ to be held from Sep 30 to Oct 6 (26 Sep 2013)

‘Car-Free Week’ to be held from Sep 30 to Oct 6

webmaster

2013.09.26

Marking World Car Free Day on September 22 every year, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) will hold ‘Car-Free Week’ for one week from September 30 to October 6 across the nation.

World Car Free Day, first led by the town of La Roche in France in 1997, has become a global event joined by 2,158 cities in 39 countries worldwide with an aim to give up using cars at least for one day.

MOE has carried out campaigns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using fewer cars with local governments and civic groups since 2008.  

The dates of this year’s Car-Free Week, which is supposed to fall from September 22, are adjusted considering Chuseok holidays. The theme of Korea’s Car-Free Week is ‘Clean Air- It’s your move!’ quoting the slogan of European Mobility Week.

MOE and Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office (MAMO) opened an official website for car-free campaign (www.carfreeday.kr) to raise citizens’ awareness and participation in the event.

As a part of street events, a polar bear’s free hug event and photo session will be held on the 30th in Gwanghwamun square, and an exhibition of environmentally-friendly works will be staged by October 6 in Gwanghwamun station.

In addition, the officials working in Government Complex in Seoul, Gwacheon and Sejong will voluntarily join the event of ‘commuting without a car’ on September 30.

The local governments and civic groups across the nation will designate a specific day for car-free day from September 30 and carry out campaigns to promote the use of public transportation.

Source: 

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