"Physical activity is extremely important for our health, and walking, cycling and other sustainable solutions in transport contribute to the protection of the environment, nature and climate," Minister Ćorić said.
European Mobility Week is European Commission's awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility, and has been taking place every year from 16 to 22 September since 2002 to promote and encourage behavioural changes in favour of sustainable mobility solutions.
The theme of this year's edition is "Safe and Healthy with Sustainable Mobility", chosen in response to the challenges of the new everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development said in the press release.
They called on citizens to maintain their physical and mental fitness, as well as take care of the environment and other people's health, when choosing their transportation.
European Mobility Week calls for greater attention to the relation between mental health and urban mobility, which is a topic that gained in importance during the pandemic.
Zagreb, Drniš, Zaprešić, Koprivnica, Kutina, Osijek, Rijeka, Pula, Varaždin and Cres take part
"Anxiety caused by travelling in a crowd or unavailability of information on travel details can lead to mental disorders. Therefore, in a pandemic, cities must do even more to create conditions in which citizens can move around safely, comfortably and sustainably," the press release reads.
Numerous studies indicate that an active lifestyle reduces depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Thirty minutes of walking or cycling is enough to improve mental health, and this will raise the general mood and quality of sleep, as well as reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue.
This year, awareness-raising projects on the need for a sustainable urban mobility have been submitted by the cities of Zagreb, Drniš, Zaprešić, Koprivnica, Kutina, Osijek, Rijeka, Pula, Varaždin and Cres. This includes activities for European Mobility Week, the organisation of Car-Free Day and permanent measures through the introduction of innovative transport and traffic solutions.