PLEIKU CITY, Vietnam – May 31, 2023

The international community just marked the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week 2023. A successful week of collective voices being raised to demand that decision-makers and governments around the world take action to #RethinkMobility. While the campaigns around the world wrap up we know that our work as a NGO does not stop here. Our time to #RethinkMobility on a global scale is only just starting now.

Youth Forum on Sustainable Mobility in Pleiku

Youth are at the heart of our international efforts to #RethinkMobility. In an effort to raise young voices from our model city for Safe School Zones and green mobility, Pleiku City is hosting the first Vietnam Youth Forum on Sustainable Mobility and Traffic Safety around school zones. The Youth Forum is a part of the Slow Zones, Safe Zones (SZSZ) program, implemented by AIP Foundation. Students from Pleiku will present highlights from a recent youth-targeted Photovoice competition, our newest Youth Engagement App related to the AI&Me program, as well as positive results of increased safety in school zones where SZSZ was implemented.

Students – raise their voices for safer streets!

The Youth Forum is bringing together 40 students from across 19 project schools in Pleiku City. Students and teachers are gathering with local government leaders at Nguyen Hue Secondary School to share their needs and demands for safer streets. The students attending the Youth Forum were empowered to lead the presentation of the key messages of safe mobility to their peers and decision-makers in their community. The Youth Forum also creates an opportunity for students to raise their voices on their mobility concerns that they currently face and suggest solutions to solve the problems directly to the local government.

Engaging youth to achieve #StreetsForLife

A roundtable will be led by Hong Bui, Senior Program Manager at AIP Foundation. The purpose of the roundtable is to lead the discussion with local government to understand more about their future modification plans for the city and to further share their solutions based on the concerns raised by students. This Youth Forum is carried out with support from Fondation Botnar, the Global Road Safety Partnership, the FIA Foundation, and the Gia Lai government partners.

Slow Zones, Safe Zones is a local program with global recognition. In its 5th year, the program is increasingly encouraging students and their families to use sustainable means of transport – paving the way for healthier and greener cities as well as promoting safe and sustainable mobility. This also aligns with Vietnam’s National Green Growth Strategy 2021-2030.