Join the #SlowDownChallenge for the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week

The 6th UN Global Road Safety Week (UNRGSW) – coordinated by the UN Road Safety Collaboration and chaired by World Health Organization – will take place on 17–23 May 2021. The week is centred around speed management, and aims to garner policy commitment at the national and local levels to deliver 30 km/h speed limits in urban areas.

In this context, the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF), in collaboration with the European Union (EU), have launched the #SlowDownChallenge. The challenge consists of a cycling, walking and swimming competition in which road safety stakeholders, partners and donors, cities, local authorities and the general public are invited to participate.

The #SlowDownChallenge aims to support the initiative of the 2021 #RoadSafetyWeek by raising awareness and advocating for road safety with a focus on speed management. The challenge also aims to create momentum to raise the visibility of the UNRSF, the EU and its partners and promote collaboration for road safety. Finally, it is an opportunity to promote the fact that walking, cycling and sports like swimming contribute to fun, safe and sustainable mobility.

How to participate:

To participate in the challenge, individuals and groups are invited to choose a preferred non-motorised mode of transport – walking, cycling or swimming – and not use motorised transport during the UNRGSW (17–23 May 2021). Participants should calculate the number of kilometres travelled by day as an individual or as a team during the UNRGSW, and then prepare a post for social media:

1. Choose a social network (Facebook, twitter or Instagram).
2. Share a picture or video of you or your team and your itinerary, or mention the number of kilometres you have travelled.
3. Tag the name of the participant or group.
4. Identify your starting point and your arrival point, and Mention/illustrate if you #walk #cycle or #swim.
5. Mention the #SlowDownChallenge and #StreetsforLife campaigns, and tag the @UN_RSF @EU and @UNGRSW.

Participants are encouraged to set ambitious goals to achieve 2km for swimming, 5km for walking and 10km for cycling, and to have fun while taking the opportunity to inform others about speed risks. An award ceremony will be organised online to award the honorary prize to the winner of the challenge.

To form a team to take part in the challenge, send the following to unrsf_secretariatun [dot] org (unrsf_secretariat[at]un[dot]org):

• The name of a contact person in your team.
• The name of your team to be used in social media publications with an @ or #.
• Outline if your team will participate in walking, swimming or cycling (it can be all 3).
• A picture of your team and a brand logo of your company or organisation.

Finally, the UNRSF invites teams to share a copy of publications made on social media by sending an email to unrsf_secretariatun [dot] org (unrsf_secretariat[at]un[dot]org) by 23 May, 6 PM (CEST).