Riders are already gearing up for the 2021 World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) in Cape Town. Each year, the event takes place to raise awareness about fossil fuels and protecting planet Earth.
The 2020 race took place just before South Africa went into its national lockdown. The 2021 race is slated to take place on March 13, 2021 and will begin at the Colin Eglin Sea Point Library.
“It is time to dress up or down to get noticed. Get ready to create that difference you want in the world. So get everybody you know to grab a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, running shoes or whatever they can get hold of. Just be there ready to have a great time and have your voice heard,” the Facebook event description reads.
The first-ever World Naked Bike Ride took place in June 2004, and was the idea of Conrad Schmidt, a social activist, filmmaker and writer living in Vancouver, Canada.
The concept was born as Schmidt was organising the Naked Bike Rides of the group Artists for Peace/Artists Against War (AFP/AAW) in 2003. The initial message of the WNBR was protesting against oil dependency and celebrating the power and individuality of the human body. In 2006, there was a shift towards simplifying the message and focusing on cycling advocacy. This has also shifted, however, as participants are now encouraged to use any “human-powered” mode of transport to partake in the race.
The race takes place in countries across the world, including the UK and Greece. Clothing is optional and the race’s motto is “bare as you dare”.
While public nudity is against the law in South Africa, it is up to the riders to decide whether they will participate in the nude or anything else they feel comfortable in.
Picture: Facebook/World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) in Cape Town