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Children, Cities, Cycling, Environment, Europe, Life and style, Mayoral elections, Netherlands, Politics, Society, World news - February 12, 2019

'We need more people to go by bike': meet Amsterdam's nine-year-old junior cycle mayor

As the world’s first junior cycle mayor, Lotta Crok wants to draw attention to the obstacles kids on bikes face – and inspire other children to cycle

During Amsterdam’s chaotic rush hour, nine-year-old Lotta Crok cycles to a very busy junction. “Look,” she says. “There’s traffic coming from everywhere. Four trams from four different directions. For a child on a bike that’s really confusing!”

Lotta is the first junior cycle mayor in the world and her working area is the Dutch capital. It is her mission to inspire children to cycle every day and draw attention to the obstacles that kids on bikes are facing.

A city that’s good for an eight-year-old is also good for an 88-year-old

Cycles for cigarettes: city gives bikes to children if a relative quits

The bicycles are given to children in the Turkish border city of Kilis if they also maintain strong grades and promise to ride for an hour a day

Standing on the street in the centre of Kilis, a small Turkish city on the border with Syria, a constant stream of noisy motorcycles, scooters and cars zoom past. It’s certainly not the most bicycle-friendly city, but local leaders are determined to change that with a new network of cycle lanes, and by giving away thousands of bikes to local children.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war seven years ago, millions of Syrians have sought shelter in Turkey. While there are refugee camps lining the border, most refugees opt to live in cities such as Kilis.

Perhaps Kilis will become a bicycle city, like [one in] Holland

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'We need more people to go by bike': meet Amsterdam's nine-year-old junior cycle mayor

Cycles for cigarettes: city gives bikes to children if a relative quits

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