San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, will host the 3rd National Bicycle Forum (FNB3), an event that has established itself as one of the main meeting spaces for promoting active mobility, inclusion, and the right to the city. The choice followed the conclusion of the 2nd National Bicycle Forum (FNB2), held in April in Querétaro, where participating groups voted to hold the next forum in this Chiapas city in 2026.
National Bicycle Forums are self-managed initiatives born from civil society to raise awareness of the mobility issues faced by millions of people daily, while simultaneously promoting profound urban transformations. Their objective is clear: to promote safer cities with accessible infrastructure, quality public spaces, and inclusive mobility that accommodates all people, regardless of age, physical ability, or social background.
The choice of San Cristóbal de Las Casas as the venue is no coincidence. Its urban scale and potential for transitioning toward a more humane city model make it fertile ground for projecting real transformations. According to the organizers, this city could become a national model for how active mobility can redefine urban space, prioritizing people over cars.
Since May, various cycling and bicycle-riding groups in the city began meeting periodically to map mobility activism in Chiapas, share lessons learned, and jointly build a roadmap toward GNB3. These meetings are organized with a horizontal and self-managed approach, where every voice counts and where mobility is understood holistically.
The focus is not limited to urban cycling. It also includes the needs of children, older adults, people with disabilities, and diverse communities, who have historically been excluded from mobility and urban development plans.
Diversity of Voices in the Organization
The FNB3 organizing committee is made up of a wide range of social groups and organizations working on different fronts for dignified and accessible mobility:
San Cris en Bici, a promoter of public policies in favor of active mobility.
Bicicatlán, responsible for community rides and critical mass in the city.
Barrio Bicicletero, a communications collective, primarily radio, that publicizes cycling events and receives citizen complaints.
Sí Podemos A.C., dedicated to social inclusion and care for people with disabilities.
The Disability Care Area, coordinated by Homer Sevilla, focuses on urban accessibility.
The Citizen Laboratory, which monitors the implementation of the municipal urban development plan.
Origin and Relevance of the Forums
The World Bicycle Forum (WBF) was founded in 2011 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, after a tragic incident in which a motorist collided with a critical mass of cyclists. This event sparked a global reflection on road violence and the need to transform cities from a bicycle perspective.
Since then, the WBF has been held annually in different cities around the world, bringing together activists, social organizations, urban planners, and advocates for the right to the city. The guiding principles—free access, gender equity, self-management, and horizontality—have also been adopted at the National Bicycle Forums in Mexico.
The holding of WBF3 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas represents a historic opportunity to address mobility in Chiapas from an inclusive, intercultural, and decentralized perspective. The goal is to take the discussion beyond large cities and highlight the conditions faced by rural and indigenous communities, which are often marginalized in public assessments and policies.
Source: oem
