Novi Sad on Two Wheels: European Mobility Week Continues

Everyday movement around the city shouldn’t be a challenge, but a freedom available to everyone, regardless of age, place of residence or physical ability. This very message came to life on the streets of Novi Sad during the marking of European Mobility Week 2026 under the slogan “Mobility for All”.

The campaign, which promotes alternative modes of transport through the traveling bicycle tour “Three Generations on the Move”, moved from Belgrade to Novi Sad, after which it will also be held in Niš and Novi Pazar.

From the popular Štrand beach all the way to the schoolyard of “Đorđe Natošević” Primary School, representatives of all generations came together side by side in a joint walk and bike ride: young people from OPENS and EU Corner Novi Sad, older fellow citizens from the “Spajalica” programme of the Novi Sad Humanitarian Centre, as well as representatives of the European Union and its partners.

“This year’s theme, ‘Mobility for All’, emphasizes that every citizen, young or old, in the city or in a village, with or without a disability, should have access to safe, accessible and sustainable ways of getting around. Smart and sustainable mobility, together with good connectivity, are essential for building more inclusive and proactive communities,” said Mauro di Veroli, head of the cooperation section at the EU Delegation to Serbia.

One of the participants in the walk, Mihajlo Kovač, a Young European Ambassador, says that for him, “Mobility for All” means, above all, safe movement around the city for everyone.

“For me, mobility for all means that when I get on my bike and set off from my house to school or university, I shouldn’t have to worry about whether there will be a marked cycling path or whether I’ll be safe enough. Besides that, the city also has to be accessible to people who have more difficulty moving around, older people, blind people, people with disabilities, and accessible paths need to be built, so that no one is denied the right to move around independently,” said Kovač.

As he pointed out, since climate change is gaining more and more momentum, local communities should prioritize building cycling infrastructure and helping bicycles find wider use in cities.

The joint ride was led by Ivan Stević, a four-time Olympian and founder of the Tour de Fun association, who then talked with and trained children in the schoolyard of “Đorđe Natošević” Primary School, on a specially set up course for developing cycling skills.

Wearing a protective helmet at all times, checking the bicycle before riding, recognizing safe routes and behaving responsibly toward other road users were just some of the topics covered. The school received a new bicycle and a set of safety equipment as a gift, which will be used by students in future classes and school activities dedicated to road safety education.

The theme week is organized by the EU Delegation to Serbia, in cooperation with the European Investment Bank, the Transport Community and the EU for Green Agenda in Serbia project, and is implemented by “Tour de Fun”. The campaign also brings together local governments, primary schools, civil society organizations and other local partners in the participating cities.

You can view the European Mobility Week programme at the link HERE.

European Mobility Week runs from September 16 to 22. It was launched by the European Commission in 2002 and has since grown into one of the world’s largest sustainable mobility initiatives. Last year, more than 2,700 cities from 45 countries took part.