Global Youth Coalition Member Feature: Sofía Aguirre Moreno

1. Where are you connected right now? Tell us about the work you're doing.

I'm working from my home, Lomas de Zamora, in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Today I'm focusing on a project we developed with three other NGOs from Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico to advocate for better cycling infrastructure and to promote the use of bicycles in a safe way.

2. How did you first get involved in road safety and how long have you been working in the road safety and sustainable mobility field?

I joined MINU as a volunteer in 2012, after graduating from high school, because I was interested in the Model United Nations they organized. After a while, I started getting involved more and more in the road safety activities MINU organized, until I finally became the Road Safety Education Coordinator.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about the road safety and sustainable mobility situation in your area?

We've been focusing most of our projects in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires. This region has a population of 14.8 million between the city of Buenos Aires and the 40 municipalities in the Province of Buenos Aires. The amount of people travelling daily from one city to another for work, educational or entertainment motives creates a complex reality that constantly requires new efforts towards the objective of developing a safe and sustainable mobility. The year 2020 also brought a rise in bike and delivery apps users (during the COVID-19 pandemics), so things are changing a lot and we need to make sure that it becomes a positive change for everyone.

4. Why do you think it's important to include young people in local and global road safety efforts?

I believe it's important to make the most of the enthusiasm, future projections and free-of-prejudice minds of young people to think of new ways of solving old and upcoming issues.

Also, given the importance of raising awareness among the future adults, I think young people are crucial at spreading the word on road safety to their peers.

5. Why did you join the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety?
I joined the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety to continue the work MINU has been doing for the last years in road safety and to be able to meet other young people with the same interests, so that I could learn from their experiences.

6. What are your comments on the Coalition? Its activities? Its opportunities?

Since my first week in the Coalition, they made me feel comfortable and proud to be working on what matters to us. The activities are developed in a friendly, yet professional, environment and they keep us constantly informed on new opportunities, not only those coordinated by the Coalition itself, but also by other organizations related to road safety.

7. Any messages for people who have not yet joined the coalition?

I strongly recommend joining the Coalition to make the most of your efforts and  interest in road safety. It is a way to get in touch with young people from all over the world and to learn what road safety issues they have. If your country has solved them, they can get ideas from you; if your country has the same issues, you can think about a solution together!