3/5/2018
20 European Parliament representatives supported No Elevators Day


ISCA’s No Elevators Day on 25 April not only expanded to three more continents this year, but also gathered support from double the number of members of European Parliament as last year, plus the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis.
Our team visited the European Parliament in Brussels on 24-26 April to speak to MEPs from across the political spectrum about physical activity and find out more about the parliament’s new Stairs to Health (Take the First Step – Use the Stairs) campaign, led by Slovakian MEP Vladimir Manka, S&D.
What do they think of the day? Read their comments below and watch our videos here and here
“No Elevators Day is a very smart idea and I am supporting not only as a member of European Parliament but as a medical doctor. Being in the European Parliament as a politician I think it is a fantastic idea, very smart, and it is inviting members and also all kinds of bureaucrats in the European Parliament to move and not to sit every time but to burn calories and to do something for their health.”
Rory Palmer, Member of European Parliament, S&D, UK
“I think it’s something I’d like to see more workplaces and more office building and public buildings adopt. It’s often the easy choice is to get in the lift on the way to your office. Taking the stairs is a great way to get more physical activity. It’s good for health, good for wellbeing so I think it’s a great idea and I hope lots of people get behind it.”
Emma McClarkin, Member of European Parliament, ECR, UK
“NowWeMOVE and No Elevators Day is a brilliant example of what we can do to try to make people think a little differently about putting activity into their day-to-day lives.” (2:20) (2:27) Our lives are getting busier and busier and we do need these initiatives to remind us that we need to also be thinking about our health and our wellbeing.”
Andrey Kovatchev, Member of European Parliament, EPP, Bulgaria
“This is a very good idea to motivate our colleagues but also the staff of the European Parliament to use the stairs because some people say, and they’re right, that sitting is the new smoking.”
Eduard Kukan, Member of European Parliament, EPP, Slovakia
“Especially for us, members of the European Parliament, we are sitting such a long time, you know, so for us movement is very important to keep fit. So this is really the place where it is necessary to promote this kind of movement. We really need it.”
Jeroen Lenaers, Member of European Parliament, EPP, Netherlands
“Just to take the stairs instead of the elevator once or twice a day really helps to keep a little bit fit. I mean if I look at myself, a year ago I was 123kg and I’ve lost 30 kilos in the last 9 months and one of the things I do indeed is instead of taking the elevators take the stairs once, twice a day, and it just helps. It really makes you feel fitter.”
Marc Tarabella, Member of European Parliament, S&D, Belgium
“If we can sometimes take the stairs, 10 stairs or 20 stairs, it’s better than taking the lift for one floor. And I think we have to promote this behaviour, and thanks to you for doing that.”
Vladimir Manka, Member of European Parliament, S&D, Slovakia