PARTICIPANTS DISCOVER ESKİŞEHİR STEP BY STEP IN "ON THE TRAIL OF THE CITY" DISCOVERY AND ORIENTEERING RACE

The "On the Trail of the City" Discovery and Orienteering Race, organised as part of European Mobility Week in cooperation with the Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Youth Centre and the Eskişehir EU Information Centre, operating under the Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce, brought together participants of all ages on the streets of Eskişehir. More than 150 people took part in the event, exploring the city on foot in a fun-filled journey of discovery. The race concluded with an environmental clean-up, during which participants collected 61 kilograms of litter as well as bottles for recycling.

Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality continues to organise activities across the city to promote mobility as part of European Mobility Week. In this context, the "On the Trail of the City" Discovery and Orienteering Race, organised jointly by the Metropolitan Municipality Youth Centre and the Eskişehir EU Information Centre, offered residents of Eskişehir an opportunity to discover the city from a different perspective.

The 2026 theme of European Mobility Week, held annually by the European Union from 16 to 22 September, was designated as "Mobility for Everyone", with a special focus on "Intergenerational Equity". As part of the campaign, supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye and nationally coordinated by the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, attention is drawn to a safe, accessible and sustainable approach to transport that takes into account the needs of different age groups.

Open to participants of all ages, the race attracted more than 150 people. Using a specially designed mobile application to guide them along the route, participants explored different parts of Eskişehir on foot.

DISCOVERING ESKİŞEHİR STEP BY STEP WITH DIGITAL CLUES

The race began at Haller Youth Centre, where participants answered questions through the mobile application to unlock clues and the location of their next stop. Following the route based on their answers and directions, teams raced against the clock while discovering Eskişehir's urban landscape along the way.

The route took participants to various locations across the city, including İsmet İnönü Tram Stop, Ali İsmail Korkmaz Park, the Ahmet Bilek Statue, Gazebo Cafe, Osmangazi Sports Field and İskele26. The seven-stop course ended at Velespit Park.

The event aimed to encourage walking as one of the alternative and active forms of mobility within the city, promote Eskişehir's cultural and social spaces, and offer participants an enjoyable racing experience.

FINAL CHALLENGE FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP

The final challenge of the "On the Trail of the City" Discovery and Orienteering Race was an environmental clean-up activity held as part of World Cleanup Day.

During the final stage of the race, participants helped clean their surroundings, contributing to both the environment and the city they live in. A total of 61 kilograms of litter and bottles for recycling were collected during the clean-up. In addition to exploring Eskişehir, participants therefore took part in a meaningful activity that highlighted environmental awareness.

WINNING TEAMS RECEIVED THEIR AWARDS

A cocktail reception was held for participants at Velespit Park, the finishing point of the race. During the enjoyable event, awards were presented to the teams that successfully completed the race and placed in the rankings. All participants were also given an event T-shirt and a reusable water bottle.

Organised in cooperation with the Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Youth Centre and the Eskişehir EU Information Centre, the event brought together active living, urban exploration, solidarity and environmental awareness in a gathering that reflected the spirit of European Mobility Week.