ACTIVE CITIES GLOBAL ACTIVE CITIES

THE WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL ACTIVE CITIES WERE CERTIFIED DURING THE YOUTH (YOG) 2018, AS PART OF AN IOC-SUPPORTED PROGRAMME. OLYMPIC REVIEW TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT EACH CITY HAS DONE TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO PRACTISE SPORTS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY – AND THE BENEFITS FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY

TEXT: RACHEL BEACHER

ILLUSTRATIONS: CELINA LUCEY

70 OLYMPIC REVIEW uenos Aires, Hamburg, in unexpected and indirect ways. As BLillehammer, Liverpool, Ljubljana well as the infrastructure left in the city, and Richmond (Canada) are the the government has invested in many first places to be awarded the Global projects to engage local people in Active City label. The cities were invited physical activity. The programme has to receive their certificates by new NGO, followed the spirit of the organisation the Active Well-being Initiative (AWI), as of the YOG – egalitarian, and open to part of the in Action Forum all. Just as the Organising Committee before the start of the YOG Buenos was keen to invite all residents to the Aires 2018. Opening Ceremony by hosting the first- IOC President Thomas Bach, who ever street party in Olympic history, the was present on stage to congratulate city authority is determined that all local the cities, said: “We have had people should benefit from the Games confidence in the Global Active City in their city. programme from the outset. It is After collecting the award on behalf Above The AWI was founded by Evaleo, splendid to see how much the first of Buenos Aires, Vice-Mayor Diego IOC President a sustainable health association, cities have achieved for their residents Santilli said: “When Buenos Aires was Thomas Bach and TAFISA, The Association For while working towards Global Active chosen to host the Youth Olympic takes part in International Sport for All, with the City status. The Olympic spirit lives well Games, not only did we set out to grassroots support of the IOC. beyond the Olympic Games.” realise that dream, but we also drew up sport activities In order to receive the Global Active President Bach and Olympic Games a comprehensive programme to turn organised as part City label, each city had to pass an Executive Director Christophe Dubi have Buenos Aires into a more active city that of the Ciudad independent audit with a stringent so much faith in the Global Active City promotes physical activity and improves Activa strategy review of their physical activity and programme that they have encouraged the quality of life of residents.” sports strategies and working practices. all cities to join the initiative. Regular physical activity can The Global Active City programme ‘IT IS SPLENDID contribute to reducing the risk of a offers an effective illustration of the TO SEE HOW MUCH number of non-communicable diseases benefits that can accrue from the THE FIRST CITIES (NCDs), including cardiovascular staging of major sporting events – HAVE ACHIEVED’ diseases, cancers, diabetes and residents of Buenos Aires, for example, THOMAS BACH, chronic respiratory diseases, as well as have benefited from hosting the YOG IOC PRESIDENT a number of mental health disorders. The AWI works with city leaders to help them provide projects and services that engage local residents who have or are likely to develop these NCDs. The AWI advises cities that want their populations to be more active to start by identifying key stakeholders and available resources, and partnering with local public health teams, community engagement leads and universities, to identify which groups are most at risk from inactivity, and least engaged, and how to reach them.

Visit activewellbeing.org or follow @AWBInitiative to find out more about the Global Active City programme

OLYMPIC REVIEW 71 Left tennis courts, and urban leaders The number of aim to increase green spaces to active adults in 40 per cent of the city’s surface Liverpool has area by 2034, and for 25 per cent significantly of journeys to be made by bicycle increased by 2025. The city is developing the Hafen City harbour area, which was Below to house the Olympic Village and Richmond locals events, into Europe’s largest inner-city are benefiting regeneration project, and is planning from the city’s one of the world’s first districts Community where physical activity is prioritised, Wellness Strategy in Oberbillwerder. It continues to host and bid for many national and Right international sports events. There are more than 50 sports clubs and teams in Ljubljana Since becoming an AWI pilot city during the Winter YOG in 2016, Lillehammer has built a close alliance of strategic partners including its local university. This alliance made a joint funding bid to build an activity park, and has founded an Olympic legacy centre. An annual sports week is SIX OF THE BEST attended by many partners from the alliance – everyone in Lillehammer is invited to take part in different physical activities, and this has led to a 20 per cent increase in membership of the BUENOS AIRES of women cycling, after an expansion Litrim Running Club. The Global Active The Active City programme Ciudad of infrastructure and training. City strategy has included free yoga Activa is one of the legacy strands of in the park sessions, and events such the YOG Buenos Aires 2018. The city HAMBURG as a ski jumping festival. Lillehammer has built a strong alliance between took part in the EU Sport Forum residents, voluntary organisations The Hamburg Active City Masterplan 2018 and was invited to in and stakeholders, including over 200 was built on the ideas developed November to share its good practices neighbourhood sports clubs. The as part of the city’s bid for the 2024 with other cities. city offers these clubs financial and Olympic Games. Twenty-six projects administrative support, and training will be completed by 2024, at a cost has been given to over 1,000 health of EUR 50 million. Hamburg joined and physical activity professionals, the AWI in 2018 as it considered the on sports science and the goals of Global Active City approach to be a Ciudad Activa. There has been major perfect fit. Eighty per cent of people investment in sports facilities, as well in Hamburg play sport, with women as in the intangible legacy of the YOG, just as active as men. Nearly 600,000 such as the project to encourage people, or one-third of the population, adolescent girls to play football. A total belong to a sports club or association of 1.2 million people – equivalent to – 18 per cent more than in 2006 – nearly half the city’s population – have while 1,000 talented children are used the “Estaciones Saludables” being trained towards the goal of or “healthy stations” for health and competing in the Olympic Games. nutritional advice, while there has been The city has 1,600 sports facilities, a significant increase in the proportion including 240 sports fields and 120

72 OLYMPIC REVIEW PRESIDENT BACH LIVERPOOL AND OLYMPIC GAMES A development partner for the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Global Active City approach, CHRISTOPHE DUBI Liverpool is aiming to be HAVE ENCOURAGED England’s most active big city ALL CITIES TO JOIN by 2021. New figures show that THE GLOBAL ACTIVE the number of active adults CITY PROGRAMME in the city – those doing the recommended levels of 150 minutes of moderate activity major annual events, including each week – is increasing. a marathon with more than The city has also won the right 17,000 participants. The city to host the has co-financed professional GB Summer Games 2021, in group leaders for activities such addition to the Netball World as hiking, and has trialled an Cup 2019 and the World Artistic exercise referral scheme among Gymnastics Championships doctors. For children, healthy 2022. Despite being the fourth food is being served in schools most deprived local authority and a swimming programme in England, Liverpool has one has been co-financed by the of the world’s most established national government. active city strategies, “Liverpool Active City”. As part of the RICHMOND collaborative approach to delivering the strategy, primary Home to North America’s only health practitioners have , the ROX, talked to over 130,000 patients Richmond (British Columbia, about their physical activity Canada) has made the most habits, employers are offered a of its Olympic venue legacy. workplace toolkit to encourage The Richmond Olympic Oval promotion of physical activity, hosted the speed skating during and 90 per cent of 11-year-olds the Olympic Winter Games have learned to swim 25 metres. Vancouver 2010, and the venue has 2,700 community daily LJUBLJANA visitors. The sports facilities include climbing, ice hockey, The European Green Capital table tennis, and of 2016, Ljubljana has been basketball, while affordable, chosen to host the TAFISA subsidised passes are offered World Congress of Sport to local people. An alliance for All in 2021. In 2018, it between the city council, health welcomed the European service and school district has Championship and a meeting created an updated Community of EUPASMOS (the European Wellness Strategy with five Union Physical Activity and focus areas, and will launch Sport Monitoring System). The an updated My Health My Slovenian capital previously Community survey to assess hosted the EuroBasket 2013. local health and physical Its ambitious Global Active City activity levels. Richmond has strategy aims to see 24km of hosted a long list of high-profile cycle tracks built by the end sporting events such as the of 2018 and a new athletics World Martial Arts Games, stadium by 2020. There are the World Wheelchair Rugby more than 50 sports clubs Championships, and the and teams in the city, and 36 Fencing World Cup. ■

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