The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar will join the #MakeASafetyStatement road safety campaign at the sixth edition of the UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum, which will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 18 and 19 December.
The #MakeASafetyStatement campaign was launched in 2023 by Jean Todt, the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for Road Safety and former President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Team Principal and CEO of Ferrari, in collaboration with JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide. This campaign aims to promote road safety through messages from celebrities focusing on reducing risk factors on the road. The main aspects are wearing a seatbelt, driving sensibly, wearing a helmet, not texting while driving, not driving under the influence of alcohol, not driving while tired and respecting pedestrians and cyclists. Over two years (2023-2025), the campaign is expected to appear on advertising street furniture, billboards and in public areas in 80 countries and 1,000 cities worldwide thanks to a global partnership with JCDecaux. It has already been displayed in 40 countries where JCDecaux is present.
Crowned road race UCI World Champion at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich (Switzerland) in September, Tadej Pogačar will join the 15 international and national celebrities already taking part in the campaign: Didier Drogba (football legend), Charles Leclerc (F1 driver), Michelle Yeoh (Oscar-winning actress and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme), Novak Djokovic (tennis legend), Kylie Minogue (musician and singer), Marc Márquez (motorbike racer), Naomi Campbell (supermodel), Patrick Dempsey (actor), Youssou N'Dour (musician and inspirational leader), Julie Gayet (actress), Michael Fassbender (actor), Ousmane Dembélé (football legend), Faith Kipyegon (multiple athletics Olympic Champion), Jean Reno (actor and writer) and Mick Schumacher (F1 driver). Olympic and paralympic gold medalists, thanks to the support of the IOC, have also joined the campaign at national level.
At the UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum in Abu Dhabi, Jean Todt will reveal the campaign visual featuring Tadej Pogačar and will speak on the theme of road safety.
The safety of cyclists on roads is a major priority for the UCI, whether they are competitors - during races or training - athletes of all levels or people using bicycles as a means of transport. With this in mind, the UCI is pleased to be associated with the vast global campaign launched by the United Nations in collaboration with JCDecaux.
UCI President David Lappartient is a member of the Friends of the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, a group that brings together high-level representatives of the United Nations, national governments, international organisations and the private sector, as well as public figures and experts. All are committed to strengthening the commitment to road safety of the bodies they represent.
The UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum is the UCI's annual conference dedicated to promoting sustainable and active mobility, and cycling's contribution to the global sustainable development agenda. This event brings together the transport and cycling communities, as well as representatives from the UCI Bike City and Region network, National Federations, Continental Confederations, event organisers, city representatives, cycling advocates and industry experts. It is organised as part of the UCI's strategic commitment to developing cycling worldwide as a sustainable sport and mode of transport.
UCI President David Lappartient said: “Road safety is one of the Union Cycliste Internationale's top priorities. We are working hard to make competitions safer, but it is also important to ensure that the roads used by riders and all those who cycle around the world become more welcoming and safer. For this to happen, broad-based action by all stakeholders is essential. That's why we're delighted to be contributing to the campaign launched by the United Nations in collaboration with JCDecaux. Together with our reigning road race UCI World Champion Tadej Pogačar, we will carry messages that will advance road safety. The UCI's contribution to the #MakeASafetyStatement campaign will be made official during the UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum in Abu Dhabi. This initiative once again positions the event as a key meeting place for those involved in promoting cycling for all.”
United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt said: “Cyclists are among the most vulnerable on the road. While we promote sustainable mobility and increase our efforts to shift from motorised transport to multi-modal transport - including the use of public transport, walking and cycling - we need to ensure that safety is at the heart of the journey. Road incidents involving cyclists are predictable and preventable and we must therefore increase our efforts to protect them. Part of the solution is education, law enforcement and raising awareness. This is why I believe having the UCI World Champion Tadej Pogačar join the UN-JCDecaux campaign #MakeASafetyStatement will be a game changer. I am looking forward to starting this collaboration with Tadej Pogačar and the UCI, under the leadership of David Lappartient, for safe and sustainable mobility for all.”
Slovenian champion Tadej Pogačar said: “As a professional cyclist the open road is my workplace, and I live the reality of the danger of cycling in traffic almost every day. I am not alone, as millions of people around the world ride their bikes to work, school or just for leisure. The ability for people to ride their bikes safely is something we need to protect. I am happy to support this campaign and believe that together we can help to make the roads safer for everyone, cyclists and motorists alike.”
To register for the Forum, interested delegates are invited to complete the online registration form. Registration for the conference programme is free for all participants.
Media representatives wishing to cover the event will have the opportunity to speak with Jean Todt and UCI President David Lappartient. For further information, please contact the UCI Press Service at [email protected].
For more information on the UCI's Cycling for All programme, please consult the dedicated section of the UCI website. For any questions regarding the Forum, please contact the UCI at [email protected].