This past Friday afternoon saw a terrific event here in Amman: a mass walk through the centre of the city to celebrate being a pedestrian! The occasion was triggered by a visit here of New York City-based architect, academic and writer Michael Sorkin, who (fairly) recently published a book called "Twenty Minutes in Manhattan". It is a book about walking, but also about cities and what makes them livable. It was a beautiful afternoon, sunny, warm, clear. The route took us from the top of Jebel Lweibdeh hill, down a series of winding staircases into the old town, then back up more stairs to an opposite hill where the Roman citadel lies. Then back again along a different route. Hills are one thing this town has plenty of.
About 500 people showed up - not counting the extensive police escort - and the mood was incredibly happy. The group spanned a wide age range. People were making friends, chatting, happy to be meandering in the old town. A couple of my young female colleagues had never walked in this part of town before - had never felt comfortable doing so as the area is so stigmatized - so it was a whole new experience for them to see their own city on foot. Tremendous.
The event was co-organized by the Institute where I am working and - a new discovery for me - a group called 'fast walk' that organizes bi-weekly 3-hour walks on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights in Amman. In part their mandate is about health and exercise, in part it is about getting people walking, seeing the city, experiencing different neighbourhoods. Apparently they get about 200 people or more out each time. The one condition: you have to wear a flourescent yellow vest. No vest, no walk.
While I am personally not too keen on this "safety" element - for reasons which I am sure my biking friends reading this will understand - I am interested in checking this group out. It made me go back to my earlier post about walking in this city and made me think again: maybe there is something like a sustainable transportation movement afoot (no pun intended).
The vest thing is annoying, but it's an interesting organization. The idea is exportable to some cities in North America where people are similarly afraid of their own city.
ReplyDeleteEspecially some cities and towns out west where people wear cars when they go for a walk.
ReplyDelete*Expletive*-right-on! this is amazing, and not what I expected to hear. It reminds me of take back the streets. What a wonderful side benefit that women who feel afraid to walk are able to walk. And such huge turnouts!
ReplyDeleteThis is positive and inspiring, which we need. Not sure if you've heard Hannah, but there have recently been 14 pedestrian deaths in the Greater Toronto Area (roughly within the span of two weeks)... The police say they are going to crack down on pedestrians and jaywalking, but in several of the deaths, the pedestrian was doing nothing wrong. Lots to be done here still in the GTA.
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