On May 10 and 11, Athens will take centre stage in international discussions on sustainable and active urban mobility, hosting the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum 2026 — the annual conference of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) — for the first time in Greece.
Organised jointly by the City of Athens and the UCI, in collaboration with Kyvernitis Travel Group, the Forum aims to become a global platform for ideas and dialogue around cycling and green mobility.
The Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, stated:
The UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum 2026 is a landmark gathering focused on the future of sustainable mobility and urban life. Hosting this annual conference in Greece for the first time is an important international recognition of the efforts undertaken by the City of Athens. We are developing municipal transport, creating new cycling routes, expanding micromobility infrastructure and bringing public space back closer to citizens. Our goal is for Athens to adopt a new mobility culture — more human-centred and more functional for everyone.
UCI President David Lappartient noted:
The annual UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum offers a valuable opportunity for experts in sustainability and active mobility to exchange ideas and best practices while working together for the benefit of the environment and public health. I would like to thank the City of Athens, Mayor Haris Doukas and everyone involved in this year’s event for their commitment to creating more sustainable and bicycle-friendly cities while protecting citizens’ wellbeing.
George Kyvernitis, Managing Partner of Kyvernitis Travel Group, added:
We are proud and fully prepared to welcome the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum 2026. Our collaboration with the City of Athens and the UCI reflects a shared commitment to more sustainable choices, and I am confident that the Forum’s discussions will inspire meaningful action in this direction.
Since 2018, the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum has served as a leading meeting point for academics, institutions and organisations reshaping urban environments worldwide. Athens’ selection as the 2026 host city is a clear international acknowledgement of the City’s initiatives towards green transition and sustainable urban mobility.
Through dialogue and knowledge exchange, the City of Athens reaffirms its commitment to positioning cycling as a key driver of tourism development and as one of the central pillars of the capital’s contemporary transformation.
The conference will be streamed live on the official UCI YouTube channel.
International Honorary Distinction for Athens
As part of the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum 2026, the City of Athens will receive the UCI Honorary Award 2026 – Advancing Cycling Culture in Cities during a ceremony at Athens City Hall on Sunday, May 10.
The distinction recognises the City’s commitment to promoting cycling as a key tool for sustainable urban mobility through the development of safe and modern cycling infrastructure, the encouragement of everyday bicycle use and the improvement of road safety conditions for all users of public space.
Through this commitment, Athens aims to create a healthier, safer and more sustainable city, reducing emissions while enabling people of all ages and abilities to integrate cycling into their daily lives.
Leading Speakers and Innovative Discussions at the Athens Conservatoire
On Monday, May 11, the Forum will open with welcome remarks by Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, UCI President David Lappartient, President of the European Olympic Committees and IOC Executive Board member Spyros Capralos, and President of the Hellenic Cycling Federation Vassilis Diamantopoulos.
The conference programme will begin with a keynote speech by Carly Gilbert-Patrick, Secretary General of SLOCAT.
The first panel will focus on cycling tourism development through emerging trends and best practices. Speakers include Spyros Papageorgiou, Founder & Director of Cities for Cycling and member of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), and George Nanos, co-owner of Outline/Velosolutions Greece, alongside representatives from the European Cyclists’ Federation and the Cycle Tourism Show.
The second panel will explore how cities can redesign road networks and transport systems to strengthen cycling culture. Speakers from C40 Cities, Copenhagenize and the UCI, as well as the Mayor of Ilioupoli, Stathis Psyrrópoulos, will present best practices. The Head of the Rwanda Cycling Federation will also highlight Kigali’s cycling transformation after receiving the UCI Bike City award from the UCI President.
The programme will continue with DEI Tour of Hellas Operational Director Takis Xouris discussing the role of the event in promoting cycling culture in Greece.
A further discussion will examine cycling events as drivers of sustainable sports tourism, with organisers from the Netherlands, Finland and Australia, alongside entrepreneur Giannis Koklakizoglou of Top Cycles and Athens Bike Rental, exploring the balance between economic development, environmental protection and quality of life.
The final thematic section will focus on road safety, with participation from organisations including the UCI and UEFA, as well as Greek Enduro champion and Dakar Rally winner Vasilis Orfanos, founder of the VOM Safe Riding School, and Apostolos Ziakopoulos, postdoctoral researcher at the National Technical University of Athens. See the detailed programme here.
On the eve of the Forum, Sunday, May 10, the DEI Tour of Hellas will conclude at Syntagma Square with the official medal ceremony, while later that evening the winners of the UCI Cycling for All & Sustainability Awards 2026 will be announced during an official dinner.
The UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum 2026 offers an important opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, ideas and proposals around sustainable urban mobility and cycling tourism. It is addressed to institutions, businesses and individuals who view cycling as a core pillar of green urban transportation and wish to contribute to shaping the future of cities.
