Melbourne press release
World Naked Bike Ride, Melbourne Summer 2008, Press Release
On the weekend of 8th and 9th of March cities across the world will experience the joy of the World Naked Bike Ride 2008: the world's largest naked protest against oil dependency with hundreds of riders participating and protesting...it is a beautiful way to be seen and heard and such a delightful enriching experience for participants and onlookers alike and the perfect opportunity to BE THE CHANGE WE ARE LOOKING FOR. By riding naked we make ourselves vulnerable....a truly blissful, non-threatening, peaceful way to show the world we care.
Rides are planned here in Australia in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Byron Bay on Saturday March 8th and in Newcastle and Melbourne on Sunday March the 9th.
"The WNBR message addresses the world wide issue of sustainable transport and advocates more environmentally friendly cycling and less polluting cars and trucks. The WNBR is an annual clothing-optional protest ride for Naturism, environmentalism, peace and the rights of cyclists to use the road safely.
"The World Naked Bike Ride is the longest running and largest global protest that has no money backers, and is run by volunteers around the world. Last year's ride included over 5,000 people."
"With the ever-increasing awareness about the benefits of healthy, fit bodies and less pollution and congestion on our roads, we expect a big turnout to this year's rides".
Though the dress code for the ride is “Go as bare as you dare!”, nudity is not compulsory. It is not a ride promoting overtly sexual behaviour in public.
Many people still struggle to distinguish between concepts of non-sexual nudity and pornography. The WNBR encourages society’s need for a body-positive mentality, and protests against environmental damage caused by motorised vehicles.
Excessive burning of fossil fuels has instigated environmental damage in the forms of climate change, air pollution, and acid rain and water pollution.
From the onset of pollution and cancer, to obesity – the burning of fossil fuels and car-addicted lifestyles are causing serious health problems, many of which are affecting humans on a widespread scale.
Violence stemming from wars fought over oil and road rage results in the deaths and injuries to innocent civilians from the former, and pedestrians and cyclists from the latter.
The WNBR is an active social movement for a peaceful and gentler world, which includes our roads.
“We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians plus all the negative effects of oil, cars, war, consumerism and non-renewable energy”, reads the WNBR mission statement.
The WNBR group was created by Conrad Schmidt (of Vancouver, Canada) in 2004 to help coordinate a large international naked bike ride between many different activist groups across the World. Since then, the WNBR has spread to over 50 cites in about 20 countries with the participation of thousands of riders.
MELBOURNE RIDE DETAILS
Riders will gather to paint and decorate themselves and their bikes at Edinburgh Gardens at the Rotunda in North Fitzroy at 4pm on Sunday, 9th March, and depart at 5pm. The route will pass through Fitzroy, into the city and back via Carlton ending with an after-party in the Edinburgh Gardens.
For more information see: http://worldnakedbikeride.org/australia/
For enquiries contact: Heidi Hill [email protected]
