Slavik was our host in Lviv, Ukraine, while we were on our way to Almaty by bicycle. A surprisingly calm and relaxed guy, with enormous influence in his social networks. Father of two, with a job in the IT-outsourcing industry, this guy naturally takes responsibility for some major urban challenges. And that’s not it: his actions inspire others to take action, inspire governments to change their policies. Thanks to Slavik and his friends, Lviv now has about 35 kilometers of bicycle lanes. During the riots beginning of 2014 Slavik organized social vigilance patrols by bicycle and car, to keep local neighborhoods safe in the absence of police. He’s also actively involved in a crowd funding project, through which he finances small poles that he and his network place on sidewalks. The goal? Make it difficult for egoistic car owners to park their car on public sidewalks.

Read more about Slavik in this blogpost on the website of the Energy Borders project.