Name: Georgios Farfaras

Country: Greece

About me: Having grown up around bicycles in a third generation bike shop in mountainous Arcadia, cycling has always been not only a childhood memory of freedom but also a way of everyday life. I'm a certified auditor for Bicycle Policy Audit and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans and a volunteer in the operation of the National Coordination Center for the European Network for Cycling Routes - EuroVelo. I also work with Greenways Social Cooperative Enterprise (SCE). We aim to serve local and collective interests and to promote employment, social cohesion and local or regional development. We are active in the sectors of sustainable mobility/transport and tourism and we work to create a national cycling policy and the inclusion of cycling in policies relating to health, environment, transport, tourism, employment and economy.

My daily exercise: Cycling daily everywhere.

My vision: More people cycling more often. Living with the car as the dominant mode of transport, citizens are facing huge social, economic and environmental costs: climate change, air pollution and noise exposure; congestion; unsafe environments which can be responsible for accidents, injuries and reluctance to be physically active; urban areas with a low quality of life and public health affected by a range of environmental factors causing respiratory diseases, allergies and cancer.

My MOVE Week story: Last year the Ecological Movement of Thessaloníki, member of the European Cyclists Federation (ECF) received an email about MOVE Week 2013 and its partnership with the International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA). We took the initiative to organise a Flash Mob and the "Move Against Cancer" event in Thessaloniki, which brought together a range of partners to organise a relay where participants were informed about the European Code against Cancer and the benefits of sustainable mobility as everyday physical activity. From different sectors, 26 organisations, over 30 volunteers and 500 participants gave the event significant publicity among different sectors and in the media as well. The event was rewarded for its innovative delivery, effective collaboration and clear understanding of the community. It is being used as an inspiration for other MOVE Agents for MOVE Week 2014!