The "Mawarid" association for the environment and energy is organising a "Car-Free Day" in Marrakech this Sunday with a view to offering a breath of fresh air to the locals and contributing to the building of a Morocco that aims to be environmentally friendly.
The Ochre City is suffocating under the weight of a vehicle fleet which, according to the latest estimates, numbers some 150,000 vehicles, in addition to nearly 200,000 motorised two-wheelers, 85,000 bicycles, 3,500 taxis, 200 buses, 150 horse-drawn carriages, and 1,500 carts.
"The persistent pollution that plagues Marrakech forces us today to consider other means of transport that would limit pollution and cleanse the ambient air of the toxic gases we breathe every day." The formula is signed by the activists of the "Mawarid" association, who do not fail to point out that "the bicycle now represents an adequate alternative on an ecological and economic level for the city of Marrakech, a practice that has been part of the local culture for a long time."
In order to re-establish the practice of cycling in Marrakech for healthier and less polluted air, and also within the framework of its policy of effective participation in the National Charter for the Environment and Sustainable Development, the Association is organising the fifth edition of the "Ecological Bike Tour" called "Car-Free Day" under the slogan "Move differently," this Sunday, 12 April. This initiative aims to foster collective awareness of environmental protection and thus establish an ecological and non-polluting means of transport: the bicycle. This eco-citizen approach also tends to highlight the need to act against the nuisances generated by the growth of traffic in urban areas and to improve the quality of life in Marrakech. It is an opportunity for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport to reclaim urban space for a day.
The organisers thus urge the people of Marrakech to contribute to the success of this initiative, which could make the Ochre City one of the great cycling metropolises in the world, like Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Especially since the enthusiasm for two-wheelers remains strong in Marrakech and the bicycle remains the undisputed star of the city, which incidentally houses the largest number of bicycles in the Kingdom.
Strongly driven by this motivation, the Association intends to use modern and original techniques to mobilise a large part of the local population, whose involvement is crucial. It also wishes to implement all the necessary means to carry out this project and make this event an example that can be replicated throughout the Kingdom. In order to achieve the objectives it has set for itself and to protect the country's ecological interests, "Mawarid" intends to present alternative solutions and convey the vision of environmental protection through education, awareness, and learning. Furthermore, the Car-Free Day planned for this weekend is the second operation of its kind after the one organised on 8 June 2014.
