NUR-SULTAN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- A bicycle tour was organized Friday in Nur-Sultan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's membership in the United Nations.
On the occasion of the significant milestone of the 30th anniversary of the CICA, the CICA Secretariat held the 30-km-long bicycle tour on the World Bicycle Day.
First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akan Rakhmetullin in his opening remarks underlined the dual objectives of the event: to raise public awareness for non-motorized transport to promote sustainable development and to mark a significant milestone of the CICA - its 30th anniversary.
"On 12 - 13 October of 2022, Kazakhstan's CICA Chairmanship will host the Sixth Meeting of the Heads of State and Government. We hope that this CICA Summit would reflect this historical moment - the launch of the gradual transformation process of the CICA, which is the strategic goal of the Kazakh Chairmanship," Rakhmetullin said.
After the end of the tour, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the CICA Kairat Sarybay said that the participants of the event had joined efforts in popularizing cycling globally.
Increased cycling will yield great benefits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It should be noted that the power of human energy and wisdom can change life for the better, and the man-made forest around Nur-Sultan is clear evidence of this, the executive director said.
The event was organized in partnership with the Nur-Sultan government, the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Kazakhstan, and the embassy of Turkmenistan in Nur-Sultan. The event brought together around 100 participants, including the ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations, as well as cycling enthusiasts. ■
