We already discussed Critical Mass in this magazine a year ago, examining the case of Padua in depth . It's a way of using the bicycle to create critical mass and reclaim spaces for sustainable mobility , both in the city and beyond. However, as we know, the bicycle is a magical means of transport that has the power to transcend its limits and embrace even more. This is what happened last May 1st at the Critical Mass in Belluno , when the collective ride also provided an opportunity to try to shed light on the city's many invisible people.
Organized by the Casa dei Beni Comuni together with the Bambara cycle workshop , the Student Network , the Penny Wirton School , Mediterranea Belluno , the Baldenich neighborhood committee and FIAB Belluno , the meeting was a political and human crossing of the city, with a route in stages built around a specific question: Who remains invisible in urban space?
The theme was born from shared ideas among the various associations that inhabit the Casa dei Beni Comuni, a place that over the years has become a meeting point for diverse experiences. From music to the social circus, from the bike workshop to support activities for migrants. "We realized that many of the issues we address had a common thread: invisibility," they tell us from Mediterranea Belluno . "Not just that of migrants, but also that of those who live in neighborhoods without being heard, those who commute by bike, those who can't find accessible public spaces."
From Oulx to Belluno
Part of the reflection also stems from a trip to Oulx, in the upper Susa Valley on the border with France , where some Mediterranea volunteers had observed young people transiting along the Alpine route. " On our return, we wondered how many people also pass through Belluno without leaving a trace . People who pass through the city, work, live here for a while, but remain completely distant from the eyes of the majority."
This also led to the issue of the administration's failure to listen to its concerns on many city issues, from road safety to the use of public spaces like parks or the library. "Sometimes it seems like the problem can be solved by eliminating spaces," Mediterranea Belluno continues. "But removing meeting places doesn't eliminate the discomfort; it simply makes it less visible, and therefore worsens it . This is why we decided to address these issues in a Critical Mass, which is by definition a festive, open, and accessible event, capable of bringing together diverse people."
The memory of Mukhtar
One of the most significant moments of Critical Mass was passing by the commemorative plaque dedicated to Mukhtar Dowh, a young Sudanese man who died in a bicycle accident while returning home after work at 2 a.m. on an unlit road. A few meters away, in Piazzetta San Lucano, over 200 bicycles stopped to listen to the voices of those who knew him . "Our main concern was not to exploit a tragedy. Mukhtar shouldn't become an abstract symbol. He was a person, with his own story and his own individuality."
For this reason, the organizers decided to give space and a voice, especially to those who knew him directly, involving Elisa Di Benedetto of the Penny Wirton School, an association that teaches Italian to migrants, attended by the young Sudanese man. Mukhtar lived in the CAS (Extraordinary Reception Centers) in Limana, about 6 kilometers from Belluno. Unable to afford a car, and given the lack of public transportation, he was forced to make that journey every day by bicycle . At least until April 12, the day he lost his life.
From that story emerged a broader reflection on the living conditions of many migrants in the Belluno area. Mediterranea continues: "New people arrive every week. Belluno is perceived as a city where paperwork can be quicker. But often those who arrive here live on the margins, travel by bike because they have no alternative , work difficult hours, and cross the city without really being seen." After remembering Elisa di Benedetto, the procession continued on foot up the hill where the plaque dedicated to Mukhtar was unveiled , under which many placed flowers.
Prison, contested spaces, and the bicycle as an alternative
The next stop was in front of the prison, a few days after the municipal guarantor of prisoners' rights complained about the conditions in the facility. Another example of how a Critical Mass can connect different forms of invisibility , stopping in front of places the city normally prefers not to look at. Another way, like this Critical Mass, to shine a light on the city's invisible.
According to the organizers, safety isn't just about infrastructure, but also accessibility. "Often, those who arrive here need to find work immediately, but since they can't afford a car, their choice almost always falls on a bicycle. However, it may be the first time these people have used a bicycle in an urban context like ours. That's why much more needs to be done : support, tools, and road education are needed."
Among the upcoming projects that Mediterranea Belluno, together with other associations like Fiab, would like to launch are the distribution of lights, helmets, and reflective vests, as well as public training sessions on road safety. Another way, like this Critical Mass, to shine a light on the city's invisible.
