Las ruedas del cambio

“You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic. Speak up. Cycle on. Support gender equality.”

This was the message on the poster of a recent HeForShe event. On April 5, 2015, over 700 cyclists joined a bicycle rally in Pune, India, to campaign for the HeForShe movement. This innovative event was developed by UN Global Youth Advocate Saket Mani and the World Peace Centre Youth Mission, supported by UN Women.

The concept behind the rally was simple: for our society to move forward, we need a balance of genders, just like a bicycle. The rally represented our own call for solidarity—the event included advocates of every age and from all walks of life who wanted to show their support for the cause.

Prior to the rally, a week-long signature drive was organized in the city to mobilize people to sign up for the campaign and show their commitment to gender equality. Led by Mr. Mani, the World Peace Centre Youth Mission is a group of young, enthusiastic individuals who fight against gender-based discrimination in society by mobilizing people in the city of Pune and beyond.