Forum 2010

Forum 2010, Malmö, Sweden

Malmo central station The 2010 Annual CIVITAS Forum Conference was hosted by the city of Malmö in Sweden from 27-29 September. The event was an opportunity for the exchange of dialogue and views between city and European politicians on the one hand, and experts in the field of urban mobility on the other.

The conference was the 8th such annual event, following fora previously hosted in various quarters of Europe including Krakow, Bologna, Kaunas, Burgos and Rotterdam since the series started in 2003. At the time of hosting the CIVITAS Forum Network included 182 cities from 32 European countries, that have formally committed to clean and sustainable urban transport.

The city of Malmö was an ideal location for the Forum. Located in southern Sweden's Oresund region and with approximately 295,000 inhabitants, it has developed as a thriving industrial and trade centre from its mediaeval roots. Today it is renowned for its eco-friendly neighbourhoods and is often referred to as "the world's smallest big city", not least because you can reach anywhere with a bike in 15 minutes. This philosophy of using sustainable means of transport over short journeys is one that has underpinned Malmö's involvement in CIVITAS SMILE, the achievements of which the city shared with visitors of the CIVITAS Forum 2010. Its new Triangel-station is one of Sweden's largest stations and hosts an innovative bicyle parking garage. Other areas of interest during the conference were its biogas production facilities, interregional commuting to and from Copenhagen and its bicycle network, which is among Europe's most extended per capita.