MEDIA RELEASE

Mayor Robertson to sign the International Charter for Walking

at 12th International Walk21 Conference in Vancouver, October 2, 2011

VANCOUVER, September 27, 2011 - On October 2, Mayor Gregor Robertson will sign the International Charter for Walking on behalf of the City of Vancouver, reinforcing Vancouver's commitment to innovative and leading-edge best practices in walking and health promotion.

The Walk21 International Charter for Walking has been signed by thousands of city councils, walking advocates and individuals around the world. It recognizes the benefits of walking as a key indicator of healthy, efficient, socially inclusive and sustainable communities and acknowledges the universal rights of people to be able to walk safely and to enjoy high quality public spaces anywhere and at anytime. Built on extensive discussions with experts throughout the world, it identifies the needs of people on foot and provides a common framework to help authorities refocus their existing policies, activities and relationships to create a culture where people choose to walk.

The signing will take place at the opening reception of the 12th International Walk21 Conference, Transforming the Automobile City: Walking Steps Up! Hosted by Mayor Robertson, the reception will take place at the Creekside Community Centre in Olympic Village. Mayor Robertson will welcome over 500 speakers and delegates to the conference, which begins Monday, October 3 and runs until Wednesday, October 5 at SFU's Goldcorp Centre for the Arts and Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

More information about the conference, including our online registration site, is available at  www.walk21.com/vancouver or download the  Backgrounder.

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Media contact information:

Patty Loveridge
Conference Manager
Walk21 Metro Vancouver
vancouver2011@walk21.com
604-360-8063
www.walk21.com/vancouver