At 8 PM, the 18th International Naked Bike Ride kicked off in the heart of Thessaloniki. Participants and organizers gathered at the park by the YMCA (Xarchakos), where a body painting session was held beforehand.
With the organizers encouraging attendees to “come as naked as you dare,” participation remained free this year, welcoming bikes, rollers, and other non-motorized vehicles.
Traffic police were present to manage any necessary adjustments during the event. The first stop for the riders was at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), continuing through the city’s central streets.
Check out the photos:
The announcement from GYMNOSOPHY – Nature-loving Collective for the Environment, Bicycle & Soft Mobility, Animal Rights, Free Spaces-Body-Expression highlighted the following:
“The removal of the bike lane on Nikis Avenue to make way for polluting cars due to the extensive Flyover project comes at a time when the Metro has been completed. This is precisely when we should repurpose space for bike lanes and pedestrian zones. Plans for high-density development at TIF, which include a hotel and shopping center, neglect transforming the city’s core into a green oasis with a Metropolitan Park. Claims that Thessaloniki ‘cannot accommodate’ alternative public transport methods, including maritime transport, trams, or cable cars, along with the neglect of the railway system that led to the Tempi tragedy, demonstrate a lack of action and foresight in combating air pollution. The recent restrictions on parking for motorhomes and campers, and our country’s condemnation for failing to address air pollution reflect a significant disregard for freedom and multimodal transportation.”
Further, they remarked:
“Ironically, Thessaloniki has committed to the Climate Pact ‘100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’, which requires a reduction of CO2 emissions by 80%. This necessitates a push for alternative transportation methods through improved micro-mobility and public transit options.”
The organizers called on the public to support:
“A Safe Bicycle Network Now, A Referendum for a Metropolitan High-Greenery Park, and No to the Total Ban on Parking Motorhomes and Campers in Greece.”
“We must put an END to the exposure of our communities and the planet to pollution and violence. This event is a celebration of advocacy for Bicycles, the Environment, and Free Bodies. Join us as naked as you dare, with free participation for bicycles, rollers, and other non-motorized vehicles,” the statement concluded.
Ask me anything
Explore related questions
