A Round-Up of Campaign "Clean Air, Safe Movement"

September 17 kicked off a week of awareness-raising within the "Clean Air, Safe Environment," campaign. The campaign was organized by NGO CIDA, Georgia's Alliance for Safe Roads, and Poti Port.

In order to increase public awareness about road safety, the week included events in 10 regions besides the capital: Kakheti, Racha, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara. In these regions, campaign organizers held work and informational meetings with drivers and the general population.

“Never before has such a large-scale campaign been held in Georgia,” said Executive Director of CIDA, Salome Zurabishvili. “The aim of the campaign was to help citizens understand how each one of them can take steps to promote road safety. This campaign was the largest of its kind so far in the number of people that were informed, especially with NGOs and private sectors uniting their efforts around this specific social issue. We had quite interesting informational meetings with drivers and local residents in these 10 regions. Overall, about 1000 people received information on the significance of air pollution, road safety and technical inspection of transport in Georgia. We hope that the population will be more responsible for these issues and together will try to overcome the challenges faced in the area."

The campaign week ended in Batumi and Lanchkhuti on September 21, followed the next day by the Car-Free Day event in Tbilisi aimed at promoting environmental awareness and healthy lifestyles. The organizers called on the public and business sector to participate in the campaign which was marked by numerous citizens choosing to walk or ride bikes instead of driving in the capital that day.

By Mariam Merabishvili