Gil -- Thanks so much for your incredible presentation this week at Walk21. You are so inspiring, and I can't tell you how much it means to have such a great partner and ambassador supporting our work both here and around the world.
All best and thanks again from one of your biggest fans,
Janette Sadik-Khan
Commissioner DOT
New York City

Your 8-80 Cities test resonated with many of us and your many examples were brilliant in demonstrating a common sense approach to the creation of cities for people, by focusing on improving their quality of life through links between walking, cycling and parks. Your presentation provided us with many new insights and opportunities, and has shown us the importance of active management of the places we create

Ellie Schwab
ProjectDirector-VictoriaHarbour
Lend Lease Development, Australia

Gil has the strength for change, the ability of involving crowds towards better cities, better lives and better human kind.
His talk and presentation touch the audience in a way that little else can. For the public agents of the City Hall of São Paulo, Gil’s presence was one of the most important happenings of the year. Thank you!
Walter Feldman
Federal Deputy and Secretary of Sports, Leisure and Recreation
City Hall of São Paulo – SP, Brazil

Gil, A HUGE thank you on this end.  You have inspired so many folks here already and it was a pleasure to finally meet you in person.  Following your stay with us, we established the goal of closing 20+ miles of our main road, El Camino Real, for the WHO day in April -- this would include 15 cities!  I will keep you posted on our progress and we will look for many opportunities to bring you back this way.
SaraT L. Mayer, MPP
Director of Health Policy and Planning
San Mateo Health Department - California

"Gil Penalosa brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion to the urban parks movement. He challenges us all to work together through partnerships and alliances so that parks and greenways are recognized as a critical component of healthy and vibrant cities."

Catherine Nagel
Executive Director
City Parks Alliance National Association for Olmsted Parks
Washington, D.C., USA

I am truly impressed with how you (Gil Penalosa) have been able to use your excellent speaking skills, and extensive experience on the topic, can influence how our whole organization on how bikeways and parks can be designed and managed. Thanks to you, our GEO Corporation have taken on the concept to provide priority to the pedestrians and to develop communities by integrating them into the development of public spaces, a policy that is being implemented on a national scale.

Inigo Orvananos
Director
Casa GEO- Largest Developer in Mexico
60,000 projected united to be developed in 2010

"Gil: Your broad experience, clear-eyed analysis, infectious enthusiasm and amazing accomplishments make you a "global treasure" in the urban parks movement. Keep up your great work!"

Peter Harnik
DirectorCenter for CityPark Excellence -
Washington, D.C., USA

"Your presentation on the role of walking and cycling in the transportation mix was exceptional. Your ability to articulate the importance of active transportation and its many benefits captivated our audience for over an hour. This is clearly one of the most important yet undervalued components of sustainable transportation that we cannot afford to overlook. Your enthusiasm and passion is contagious and I hope that this experience will change the outlook of the transit professionals in attendance for many years to come."

Michael W. Roschlau
President and Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Urban Transit Association

"(Gil) We can't thank you enough for being our Closing Keynote! Your talk was the perfect capstone to a very successful Symposium! It couldn't have been better! I have heard rave reviews. I heard one person say it was the best presentation they had ever heard. Several people commented that your presentation should have been at the beginning of the Symposium so they could have discussed your ideas during it."

Pam Gluck
Executive Director
American Trails

"Part of the solution in dealing with air quality problems, climate change, and the obesity epidemic is to design neighborhoods around active forms of transportation, such as walking and bicycling. Gil clearly understands this concept and gives a passionate, inspired presentation on the importance of community design to support active transportation. His stories and pictures superbly illustrate his message."

Dr. Bob Nosal
Medical Officer of Health
Halton Region, Ontario, Canada

“Gil, I truly cannot thank you enough for what you accomplished during your visit. You really succeeded in firing up our own (already-committed) troops & reminding them why our work at the ground level is so critical. And you raised the thinking & expectations of our city leaders to a new level. This is unprecedented. We are so fortunate to have had your wisdom & passion & commitment benefiting San Francisco.”

Leah Shahum
Executive Director
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Conference Feedback:

Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA):

National Parks & Recreation Conference 2007
Ottawa, Ontario. September, 2007
Title - Creating Great Cities: Trails & Parks, Walking & Cycling
Gil Penalosa
Evaluation by participants: 4.9 of a possible 5.0
Session Comments: Excellent presentation. - Great presentation. Excellent speaker! - Passionate presenter. Needs to be a key note speaker. - This was the best workshop that I attended. - Great ideas! Inspirational speaker.