In line with its ambition to become a Global Active City, the municipality of Rotterdam, Netherlands, hosted its Active City Event on 27-28 November, in connection with the "Sportief Verbinden" (Sport Connection) event with the support of TAFISA Members NOC*NSF and Knowledge Centre for Sport and Physical Activity Netherlands, and under the patronage of TAFISA. Opened by Rotterdam Councillor for Sport Faouzi Achbar, the event welcomed experts, policymakers, and community leaders to introduce Rotterdam's successes and challenges, delve into local and international examples and how they can inspire the municipality in its strategy, and share insight on Rotterdam's Global Active City approach.
Representing the Knowledge Centre for Sport and Physical Activity Netherlands, TAFISA Board Member Jacqueline Kronenburg had an active role in supporting the event and connecting with international speakers. Starting from the understanding that active cities make residents healthier and happier, TAFISA Head of Operations Gaëtan Garcia shared thoughts on what Rotterdam and the Netherlands could learn from practices and initiatives running in active cities internationally.
Guests started off the second day with study visits to innovative initiatives and spaces in the municipality. The event then connected with the yearly Sportief Verbinden, bringing together the Dutch sport sector for exchanges and conversations around key issues. On this occasion, TAFISA moderated an international inspiration session with presentations and a panel discussion joined by Mary Corry (Active Cities Ireland), Jordan Martindale (Royal Commission for Riyadh City), and Zhou Li (Happy Sports China), sharing their experiences with the Dutch audience.
