It is easy to be skeptical about promotional days and wonder how anyone choses them.

But if ever there was a day that has my name on it Sunday 3rd June is the one.

Due to a lobbying campaign by ECF, the World Cycling Alliance and some of our global partners the United Nations was persuaded to mark the impact on society of this amazing device without which this blog would not exist.

Tomorrow in New York there will be an inaguration ceremony at the UN, but more importantly there is a worldwide movement on social media which has been picking up momentum throughout the last few days. You can post anything with the hashtag #WorldBicycleDay and it should form part of the wave, please let us know where you will be riding.

For my own personal celebration will of course be taking a bike ride. But I though I Do Not Despair must celebrate the very special world of cycling, the friends, family, places, rides and occasions that have made my world of cycling.

So here is my World Gallery – about 30 countries – thirty groups of friends to say “thank you”, so many friends who are working to promote cycling in your countries and such great hosts. No prizes for identifying every country!