Mérida’s En Bici program earns national recognition for its benefits

The City Council of Mérida received recognition for the En Bici program and will soon be awarded in the ANPR México and Inafed awards for “Participatory Design of Public Spaces,” reported Mayor Alejandro Ruz Castro.

The mayor indicated that the programs promoted by Mérida’s government in terms of sustainability and care for the environment are well adopted by the community, which means that they are successful and recognized inside and outside México.

Ruz Castro said on November 17 the XX International Congress on Sustainable Development and Local Climate Action was held in San José, Costa Rica, where the International Environment Agency for Local Governments awarded En Bici the Government  Sustainable Local award due to the application of this program that contributes to the mobility and sustainability of the municipality.

“With these honors, Mérida reaffirms its position as a benchmark in the promotion of environmentally friendly practices, demonstrating that the vision of a greener and more sustainable city is a reality in constant evolution,” said the mayor.

At the ceremony, Ignacio Gutiérrez Solís, director of the Interior, representing Ruz Castro, received the award that recognizes governments that implement projects, programs, or actions that favor the protection of the environment in Mexico and other countries.

“Thanks to En Bici, Mérida won first place in the Smart Local Government category in sustainable mobility. This urban mobility program is environmentally friendly, agile, and free, among other attributes, and is a reflection of the continuous effort to promote responsible and sustainable practices in the community,” said Gutiérrez Solís.

On the other hand, the “Participatory Design of Public Spaces” program in Mérida will soon receive two national recognitions: the ANPR Mexico award in the Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing category, and the Inafed award for Good Municipal Practices.

The mayor indicated that these national recognitions are the result of the successful, sustainable, and citizen participation programs that the Mérida City Council applies to work together with the population and that the actions are not carried out unilaterally.

The National Association of Parks and Recreation of Mexico (ANPR) annually issues a call to recognize outstanding practices in favor of public spaces.

On this occasion, the “Participatory Design of Public Spaces” Program was selected as the winner in the Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing category. The award will be presented within the framework of the ANPR annual congress, which will be held in León, Guanajuato, from November 22 to 24.

The National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development (Inafed) promotes the strengthening of the capacities of municipal administrations and, in the 2023 call, the evaluation committee selected the “Participatory Design of Public Spaces” Program as a Good Municipal Practice, and will include it in the Advisory Guide on Municipal Performance and Good Municipal Practices. The recognition will be delivered on December 1 at the Ministry of the Interior in Mexico City.

TYT Newsroom