On the morning of February 16, more than 400 people took part in a 15km cycling event through Ho Chi Minh City’s streets, passing landmarks such as Dong Khoi, Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Hue, the City Hall, and the Independence Palace.

The event, Ride for the Future, was organized by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with local government agencies, the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship Association, and the Dutch Business Association Vietnam.

The ride began at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, winding through the city’s scenic routes before finishing at the residence of the Dutch Consul General.

At 6 AM, participants gathered at the starting point, where they received event shirts and prepared for the hour-long ride.

Among the participants were two Dutch adventurers, Rick Keijzer (21) and Sven Broekhuizen (25), who had just completed an extraordinary journey - cycling nearly 20,000km over 343 days across 24 countries to reach Vietnam.

Before setting off, Keijzer quickly grabbed a bánh mì sandwich for energy. "We love cycling and exploring the world. The journey from the Netherlands to Vietnam has been an incredible experience. I can see that regular cycling is completely possible in Ho Chi Minh City," he shared.

Dutch Consul General Daniel Coenraad Stork expressed excitement about the event, stating, "With this event, we hope to spread the message of 'cycling for the future.' People in Ho Chi Minh City can easily integrate cycling into their daily lives, especially when combined with metro lines, to help reduce pollution."

The event officially started at 7 AM. Keijzer and Broekhuizen recorded parts of the ride to share with their online community.

Broekhuizen particularly enjoyed the city’s tree-lined streets and the refreshing morning air.

Cycling is not only an affordable and environmentally friendly way to travel but also contributes to public health and urban mobility.

The group made a brief stop at the Independence Palace before continuing the ride.

Nguyen Hoang Anh, a participant from Binh Tan District, took a commemorative photo with his family at the Independence Palace. "We usually cycle on weekends for exercise. Through this event, I hope my children will develop a love for cycling while also encouraging more people to use public transportation," he said.

At the conclusion of the ride, Keijzer cycled alongside his mother, Sonja, in the garden of the Reunification Hall before preparing for the next leg of his journey.

Nguyen Hue