ISLAMABAD: 3 June is celebrated worldwide as World Bicycle Day to recognize bicycle
as a reliable and sustainable means of transportation. The Embassy of Turkmenistan in
collaboration with Serena Hotels, and Tabani Group of companies who provided
bicycles, organized a cycling event to encourage people from all walks of life to adopt
cycling, promoting an active lifestyle and ecofriendly practices. The cycle rally took off at
D-chowk and culminated at Serena Business Complex in Islamabad, where attendees
were served healthy refreshments. The event was attended by the diplomatic
community, corporate and media personnel and Serena Hotel’s associates. The Chief
Guest for the occasion was Special Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr.
Syrus Sajjad Qazi.
Speaking at the event, Special Secretary Mr. Syrus Sajjad Qazi appreciated the
Embassy of Turkmenistan and Serena Hotels for organizing the cycling event. He also
lauded the Government of Turkmenistan for initiating the resolution at the United
Nations General Assembly for declaring June 3 as World Bicycle Day to promote
healthy lifestyle which will ultimately reduce carbon footprint and noise pollution. He
emphasized the need to adapt to climate change by switching to healthier modes of
transportation and maintained that such events should be organized more frequently to
promote cycling as an efficient mode of transportation.
Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan and Dean of Diplomatic Corps H.E. Mr.
Atadjan Movlamov in his speech noted that in 2018, on the initiative of Turkmenistan,
the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution declaring June 3 the World
Bicycle Day. Turkmenistan is promoting a healthy lifestyle and environment-friendly
means of transport, the popularization of which directly contributes to achieving many of
the Sustainable Development Goals. It emphasized that the bicycle is an instrument of
sustainable transportation and conveys a positive message to foster sustainable
consumption and production and has a positive impact on climate. Turkmenistan is
committed to strengthening international cooperation aimed at implementing the
principles of development and peace. For its part, Turkmenistan was one of the first
countries in the world to take up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the
first in the region to nationalize the Sustainable Development Goals in 2016.
Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels reiterated company’s commitment to foster
ecofriendly environment and highlighted some of the recent initiatives taken by Serena
Hotels including plantation of 600,000 trees across Pakistan, commissioning of
sewerage treatment plant and construction of new hotels in line with the guidelines of
International Finance Corporation’s EDGE Certification. He thanked the participants for
their support in making this event successful.
