On Tuesday, 10 September 2024, Vipava hosted the opening event of the European Mobility Week 2024, called The First Kilometre, which also marked the start of the Primorska Mental Health Festival 2024. Several institutions in the fields of sustainable mobility and health protection presented their activities at the main square. The Regional Development Agency ROD Ajdovščina, lead partner of the Inter Bike III project, which co-organised the event, several project partners and the representative of Štanjel Regional Office provided information about the project and the cross-border Interreg VI-A IT-SI Programme. The Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica exhibited the electric mountain bikes purchased in the framework of Inter Bike. The e-bikes can be rented at the Ilirska Bistrica Tourist Information Centre.
After warming-up the participants, among which schoolchildren, kindergarten children and users of the Vipava day-care centre, set off on the first kilometre of walking and cycling joining the International Association for Suicide Prevention's "Cycle Around The Globe" initiative. 10 September is namely World Suicide Prevention Day. People around the world will try to achieve also this year by 10 October the common goal of 40,075 kilometres cycled of the Earth’s circumference. By cycling, they will strengthen their physical health, improve their mental well-being and reduce the environment pollution.
