Category: ACTIVE

From June 23rd until June 26th, 2026, the Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) had the pleasure of organising the first ACTIVE Mobility Mission for a delegation from Colombia, Chile and Brazil. The programme was part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sustainable Mobility between the Netherlands and Colombia and was made possible through collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Colombia and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Across The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, the delegation exchanged knowledge and experiences on active mobility, cycling policy, infrastructure, communication and governance in practice.

The delegation included participants connected to The World Bank Group, Cundinamarca, Metro Bogotá and other Colombian partners involved in the ACTIVE Capacity Building training programme. From Brazil, participants joined from Niterói de Bicicleta, the municipality of Niterói and Cycling Union Brazil. From Chile, a delegate connected to the Chilean Sustainability Agency joined the group.

Day 1: The Hague

On the first day, the delegation met each other and shared the context of their own localities, including the projects they are currently working on and the challenges they face. Arlette van Gilst, Director of Cycling and Walking Policy at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, welcomed the delegates to the Netherlands with a short presentation. This was followed by a presentation from Paula Godoy of ARUP, who introduced the Hardware, Software and Orgware approach to cycling in the Netherlands. Afterwards, the group went outside for a cycling tour through The Hague, guided by Paula, to connect the examples from her presentation to practice on the street.

Day 2: Rotterdam

The following day, the delegation travelled to Rotterdam to discover a city with different characteristics compared to other cities in the Netherlands, and with infrastructural challenges that are similar to those in Latin American cities. The day started with a cycling tour by Mirjam Borsboom of Movida, who also works for the municipality of Rotterdam. She shared the current projects Rotterdam is working on and how the city is in constant change, growing towards a more cycling-friendly environment.

After the tour, the group visited the office of Humankind for a presentation by director Lior Steinberg on how trials and small-scale experiments can transform places from brick and asphalt environments into green oases in the city. He shared examples such as the transformation of parking spaces into green hangout spots for people. Afterwards, Melissa Bruntlett of Modacity Creative, shared how to effectively communicate the cycling narrative to different stakeholders and how to tell a story successfully to inspire people to cycle.

Day 3: Utrecht

On Day 3, the delegation explored Utrecht, starting off with a tour of Utrecht Central Station by Hugo Bustamante and Alejandro Montes from Goudappel/Iganga, who shared insights on the multi-modality of the station and the mix of functions it houses. Of course, the world’s biggest bicycle parking garage was also visited to showcase what effective cycling policies over longer periods can bring. Afterwards, the delegation cycled to the DCE office. There, Hugo and Alejandro gave a deep-dive presentation on the multi-modal numbers and transport systems the Netherlands has built, how steps were taken to increase cycling levels, and the role multi-modal hubs play in this transition.

Ruben Loendersloot of Loendersloot International, then took over and taught the delegation about the technical measures behind successful bicycle infrastructure, showcasing Dutch examples. Afterwards, the group got back on their bicycles for a tour to see these technical measures in the real world, visiting projects where the bicycle has been given a central role, such as the Daphne Schippersbrug and the Willem-Alexanderpark on top of the A2 highway.

Day 4: The Hague

On the last day of this hot weather week, the group held its final sessions at New Babylon in The Hague, zooming in on the political and governance differences between the Netherlands and the countries represented in the Latin American delegation. Isabela Ledo, who is connected to Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and formerly worked for the municipality of Niterói in Brazil, teamed up with Dirk de Jager of Sustainable Solutions, who has experience as mobility deputy mayor of the South-East city district of Amsterdam, to facilitate a session exploring these political differences per country.

Lastly, the group played the serious game “Bikonomics,” with Lucas Harms of Transforming Mobility and Kees van Ommeren of Decisio. In this game, delegates learned about the financial benefits of cycling on a micro, meso and macro level in society. Afterwards, a town hall meeting was replicated: delegates each played their role and tried to fulfil their goals.

Looking ahead

The ACTIVE Mobility Mission showed that knowledge exchange goes both ways. While the Dutch approach to active mobility was showcased through presentations, site visits and cycling tours, it was equally valuable to learn from the experiences, innovations and perspectives of the delegates from Colombia, Chile and Brazil. These international exchanges help partners move forward together towards safer, healthier and more sustainable mobility for everyone.
This mission was made possible through close collaboration between the ACTIVE programme of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Colombia, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Dutch Cycling Embassy. DCE looks forward to continuing this collaboration and strengthening active mobility across continents.

A warm thank you to all delegates, partners and experts who made this inspiring week possible.

On Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, Dutch Cycling Embassy International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett participated (virtually) in an Active Mobility Workshop with the University of Tehran. Co-hosted by Tehran Municipality, the hybrid three-day event brought together urban planning and mobility students, researchers, and a number of practitioners in urban transportation. Chris’ 40-minute keynote was entitled “Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality”, during which he offered insights into the Netherlands’ cycling successes (and mistakes), the benefits of building better cycling networks, and how these lessons might be applied to cities around the world. The presentation was followed by 20-minutes of question-and-answer with the audience.

On behalf of the ACTIVE initiative, launched by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat), the Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) co-organised a two-day ACTIVE workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The event was held in close collaboration with the City of Ulaanbaatar, particularly its Sustainable Urban Transport Project, and the World Bank.

The ACTIVE programme aims to train 10,000 professionals in the field of active mobility over the next decade through international capacity-building sessions. Each workshop follows the “absorb–do–connect” methodology, which guides participants through three key stages: acquiring new knowledge, applying it in practice, and linking insights to broader local and global contexts.

In Ulaanbaatar, DCE experts Teije Gorris (GO-bility) and Ben Schaipp (FietsMeister) led a series of interactive modules focusing on cycling network planning, infrastructure design principles, the Safe System approach to road safety, and climate adaptation for cycling. The sessions addressed Mongolia’s unique climatic and urban challenges, encouraging participants to adapt best practices to their local context rather than apply international models directly.

The workshop opened with welcoming remarks from the Tugsu Chinbat, Chief Architect of the City of Ulaanbaatar and Edward Beukes, Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank, followed by a full programme of lectures, group activities, and field experiences. Participants joined a walking tour led by the city to observe existing urban transport conditions, which was later discussed and reflected on.  The training concluded with final presentations and a certificate ceremony, celebrating the participants’ efforts and insights gained throughout the two days.

Representing the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Shelley Bontje facilitated the workshop alongside the experts, reinforcing the Embassy’s commitment to supporting cities worldwide in developing safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive mobility systems.

On February 5th and 6th, 2025, the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, hosted an ACTIVE workshop organised by the Dutch Cycling Embassy and its partners, aimed at promoting active mobility.

Despite challenges such as traffic congestion and an expansive urban layout, the high number of pedestrian trips highlights the city’s potential for active mobility. To help Oaxaca realise this potential, the Dutch Cycling Embassy organised a two-day workshop filled with expert insights and collaborative discussions.

The workshop opened with inspiring speeches from Oaxaca’s Secretary for Mobility, Yesenia Nolasco, and Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Mexico, Yvonne Ruijters. Following the speeches, Emma Stubbe from the Dutch Cycling Embassy gave an introductory presentation, and participants watched the short film “Together We Cycle,” which documents the Netherlands’ journey to becoming a cycling nation.

Throughout the workshop, experts Roberto Ascencio of Arcadis and Adrian Puentes of BD+P shared their knowledge on urban planning and cycling infrastructure. Key topics included network planning for cycling and walking, integration of cycling and public transport, and designing cycling infrastructure. Each presentation was followed by break-out sessions that challenged participants to (re-)design infrastructure in their city, leading to lively discussions. Particular focus was given to two case studies: the public park Parque Primavera and the CityBus routes.

Participants, including representatives from Oaxaca’s Secretaría de Movilidad, the Oaxacan municipality, surrounding municipalities, traffic and municipal police, and civil society, found the workshop both useful and motivating. Discussions also touched on crucial topics such as water management as part of public infrastructure and adapting Dutch expertise to local contexts.

During the final presentations, participants showcased their innovative solutions to enhance the safety and comfort of all road users, and especially users of active mobility infrastructure. These solutions have the potential to be highly impactful, given that Oaxaca already possesses key elements of an active mobility-friendly environment, such as strong political leadership committed to investing in cycling infrastructure and an active community of bike users who organise regular events to promote cycling.

This event was made possible through the generous support of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, in collaboration with the Dutch Enterprise Agency RVO, as part of the ACTIVE programme. ACTIVE stands for Alliance for Cycling and Walking Towards International Vitality and Empowerment. The programme is led by The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg with an aim to train 10,000 mobility experts in the Global South over the next decade.

The Dutch Cycling Embassy extends its gratitude to all further partners, including the Oaxacan Secretariat for Mobility, the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Mexico, and Colectivo Gabi Bici Blanca for their support and hospitality.

We look forward to continued collaboration with all stakeholders.

Following the completion of a 500 kilometre bike network in 2021, the Philippines continued to promote active mobility. The Active Transport Project Office from the Philippine Department of Transport grew from 6 to 19 staff and continued to further initiatives on active mobility across the country. Various cities continued to develop and implement active mobility policies since.  The network expanded to almost 900 kilometres today.

To support ongoing and upcoming developments, the DOTr Active Transport Office partnered with Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) member GO-bility to prepare an ACTIVE training with a particular focus on ‘orgware’ and ‘software’ principles.

Trainers from GO-bility and Decisio delivered a 2-day training in Manila in November. 70 professionals participated from the Active Transport Project Office, other national government agencies, local governments, civil society organisations and private developers.

The objective was to provide knowledge and skills to enable them to create awareness and understanding of the benefits of active mobility and the necessity to develop and implement active mobility policies, including the development of active mobility promotion schemes and infrastructure.

Next to lectures participants experienced hands-on exercises, discussions, a screening of Together We Cycle, and more. They concluded with presenting their integrated ‘orgware-software-hardware- strategies to:

• Develop active mobility policy plans highlighting the benefits such as economy, health, safety, climate change, road safety.
• Develop promotion schemes using behavioural change insights and considering different target groups and their characteristics
• Develop low-cost tactical urbanist interventions
• Develop an approach to monitor and evaluate

The learnings of the training were extended to the National Bike day celebrations including bike rides, active mobility forum, exhibition and awards ceremony to recognize the initiatives of local governments.

From November 19 to 21, the Dutch Cycling Embassy (DCE) and the Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok hosted the second ACTIVE Workshop of the year for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Building on momentum from the first workshop, BMA took a major step by constructing two cycling infrastructure projects that had been discussed earlier.

The Dutch team included Marco Mulder (Arcadis), Jasper Homrighausen (Royal HaskoningDHV), Teun Zeegers (ACTIVE), and Margot Daris (DCE). This second workshop shifted focus toward “software” and “orgware.” Discussions centered on engaging Bangkok residents to promote cycling by understanding their mobility needs and preferences. Effective communication and public involvement are essential for advancing the mobility transition. Grassroots activism also plays a vital role in building critical mass and pushing for change. Bangkok is fortunate to have a growing community of activists championing cycling as a viable daily mode of transport. On the “orgware” side, the workshop explored how BMA can facilitate discussions around cycling. For instance, it became evident that Bangkok’s temples are influential in urban planning and space allocation, highlighting the need for collaboration with various stakeholders.

Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, a strong advocate for sustainable mobility, even visited the workshop. The team emphasized the importance of storytelling, data, and proven success stories to win over stakeholders and decision-makers. While cycling infrastructure can be installed quickly, transforming travel behaviour takes time and persistence. Pilots that minimise disruptions for car drivers can help ease the transition and build acceptance.

Sustainable mobility isn’t just about cycling and walking; it’s about transforming the entire mobility system. This includes integrating cycling infrastructure, public transport networks, and mobility hubs. Enhancing bike parking and wayfinding at transfer points can significantly improve the user experience. In addition, the status quo should be challenged, specifically the city-wide maximum speed of 80 km/h.

We are confident that Bangkok has all the tools for a sustainable mobility revolution, and with the right strategies, the city can continue to make strides toward a more inclusive and efficient transportation future.

Bangkok is a city with lots of potential to become bike and pedestrian friendly. Despite traffic congestion and the high temperatures, the city is very suitable for active mobility. To help the city with their ambitions, a team from the Dutch Cycling Embassy hosted an ACTIVE Workshop. 

Governor of Bangkok, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, and Dutch Ambassador, Mr. Remco van Wijngaarden, gave opening speeches to inspire the participants and to make sure we were off to a good start. During the workshop, the Dutch experts worked together with the local experts on policy, infrastructure, and communication challenges. Marco Mulder (Arcadis) and Brett Petzer (Mobycon) presented about urban planning in the Netherlands and how these lessons can be applied to the Thai context. One of the important points we talked about was the speed limit for cars and how this influences the type of bike lanes that should be build. 

For the final presentations, all groups presented their ideas to Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsangboon, Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon, Ambassador of the Netherlands, Director of Traffic and Roads Department, and police officers. The creative and innovative solutions that the groups came up with will have a huge impact on the safety and comfort for all road users, whether you’re driving a car, cycling, or walking. Some of the solutions may take a while to implement, such as the reallocation of space at intersections. Whereas other matters can be implemented quickly: seperated bike lanes, creation of a cycling vision for the city, and more greenery.

Dutch Cycling Embassy is optimistic about Bangkok becoming a bike friendly city. Some of the key elements of bike friendliness are already present in the city. There is strong political leadership that is willing to invest in cycling. Thereby, there is already a large group of cyclists already present in Bangkok. They are the frontrunners and set the example for future cyclists. We would like to thank the Thailand Walking and Cycling Institute, Café Velodome, and the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok for all their support and kindness. We are looking forward to keep working together! 

During the week in Thailand, Margot Daris sat down with Rayong City Development to discuss how cycling can create a more liveable Bangkok. Watch the full interview here.