Summit 2021 in Copenhagen - Denmark
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Smart Cities & Sport is delighted to resume its activities. The eighth edition of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit will be held on November 22-24, 2021, in Copenhagen Denmark. In order to guarantee your active participation, you will be able to register for the on-site or online Summit.
The Summit is a unique conference targeting representatives of cities and regions across the world willing to develop smart strategies that connect sport and cities.
This is an exclusive opportunity to learn from industry experts, share best practices and connect with the international sports world.
The Smart Cities & Sport Network provides a high-level and prestigious platform for the exchange of ideas and experience among cities of all sizes.
- Representatives from cities interested in sport as a tool for urban development
- Sport event organisers
- Representatives from the international sport world including the International Olympic Committee and the International Federations
- Corporate partners
Register now
November 22-24, 2021
Programme Summit 2021
BUILDING TODAY AND TOMORROW’S CITIES THROUGH SPORT!
After a difficult time for all of us, we are very excited to meet again, in person. For discussing projects, inspiring one another, sharing ideas and working to build the cities of today and tomorrow, there is nothing better than coming together at the Smart Cities & Sport Summit!
Hosted in Copenhagen, an inspiring, pioneer city in terms of sport, the 2021 Smart Cities & Sport Summit will focus on strategies that encompass all policies in alignment with one vision: Building cities together through sport. From sport policy to urban development through health improvement and social integration, Copenhagen widens our field of possibilities!
Monday, November 22
Welcome Cocktail 19:00-21:00 CET
Tuesday, November 23
Morning session 9:00-13:00 CET
Welcome Words
Welcome to the 8th edition of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit to be held for the first time in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Mélanie Duparc, Director, Smart Cities & Sport
- Lars Weiss, Mayor of Copenhagen
Opening Session | Building Healthy Communities
Health has been at the top of all agendas for the last eighteen months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although an end to the crisis is hoped for and expected, health remains a major challenge for cities. Sport contributes to building the healthiest people and communities, both at individual and collective levels. How can cities, thanks to the close proximity with their inhabitants, activate a virtuous circle between sport and health?
- Keynote Speaker: Thomas Bach, IOC President
- Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences,
UNESCO - Grégoire Junod, Mayor, City of Lausanne
Highlights on Paris 2024 | “Bougez +” the health legacy of future Games
- Marie Barsacq, Executive Director of Impact & Legacy, Paris 2024
- Stephen Withing, Technical Officer, WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office)
- Tania Braga, Head of Legacy, International Olympic Committee
Coffee & Networking Break 11:00 - 11:30 CET
Session 1 | Building Legacy
Events, either major or of a smaller dimension, are not a “one-shot” for cities even if they happen only once. Through events, cities aim to build a long-lasting legacy for their citizens. How can sport events boost the economy and tourism, contribute to improvements of facilities, be a driver for education, sensitization to health or environmental issues, and generate emotions and memories?
- Cyrille Tricart, Head of External Relations and General Coordination, Tour de France
- Rachel Froggatt, Secretary General, International Working Group on Women & Sport
- Marion Schöne, General Manager, Munich Olympic Park, & Markus Schnetzer, Head of Local Organising Committee, European Championships Munich 2022
The Toolbox | How can Cities Help Make Their Citizens Physically Active ?
Cities share concrete and inspiring experiences on how they managed to engage and maintain their population in sport and physical activity through innovative solutions, unexpected programmes or traditional methods.
- Niels Lund, Vice President for Global Prevention & Health Promotion, Novo Nordisk
- Miel Vanhaverbeke, Co-Founder, Ipitup, Leuven
- Rikke Rønholt-Albertsen, Board member, DIF – The NOC of Denmark
Networking Lunch 13:00-14:00 CET
Afternoon session 14:00-17:30 CET
Session 2 | Building Inclusive Cities
Cities are more than just individuals living next to each other or distinct areas positioned on a map. Cities are about social interaction, and even more, about integration and social cohesion. How can cities offer a level playing field for everyone and provide access to sport activities and facilities for all in order to generate inclusion, fight against discrimination of all types and foster sustainable living together?
- Oliver Vanges, LOA’s the Danish Foundation for Sport and Culture Facilities
- Emilie Moeschler, Vice Mayor of Lausanne, Sport and Social Cohesion
- Morten Mølholm Hansen, Secretary General, DIF – The NOC of Denmark
Sessions 3 | Building The Next Generation
The youth are our future. Today’s youth are more acutely aware than previous generations about the challenges faced by our societies, and our planet as a whole, are facing, from health to climate. How can cities use sport to drive changes and to involve the youth?
- Hans Natorp, CEO, Denmark Olympic Committee
- Jakub Kalinowski, President and Co-Founder of V4SPORT Foundation
- Charlotte Kirk Elkjaer, Chief Advisor, City of Aarhus and Stopover Director, Ocean Race Aarhus 2023
- Philippe Furrer, Founder and Chief Engagement Officer, insPoweredBy
Coffee & Networking Break 16:00-16:30 CET
The Voice of the Youth
The time has come to listen the voice of the youth and to understand their expectations for the sports policies of cities. A focus on youth sports events will provide insights into cities’ strategies for hosting youth sport events. This can include social, cultural, and art events organised by host cities, that promote mutual understanding, sharing of experiences and friendships that transcend borders and differences.
- Astrid Glenner-Frandsen, Danish Athlete, Olympic team 4×100 meters relay at Tokyo 2020
- Ida Karstoft, Danish Athlete, Olympic team 4×100 meters relay at Tokyo 2020
- Laura-Maria Tiidla, Development Officer, International Sport and Culture Association
- Marie Traasdahl Staal, Executive Director for Innovation and Programs in GAME
- Leyla Kosar, GAME Keyplayer
- Philippe Furrer, Founder and Chief Engagement Officer, insPoweredBy
Gala Dinner 19:00-22:00 CET
Wednesday, November 24
Morning session 9:00-12:45 CET
Highlights on Tokyo 2020 | A Look back at an “Extra-ordinary” Olympic Games
- Katsura Enyo, Director General of the Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation, Tokyo Metropolitan Governement
- Pierre Ducrey, Olympic Games Operations Director, IOC
- Mike Joyce, Head of Membership & Development, and Hilary Atkinson, Pro League and Olympic Games Director, International Hockey Federation
- Marie Sallois, Director of Corporate and Sustainable Development, IOC.
Session 4 | Building Partnerships: IFs Have The Floor!
Cities are the treasures chests where most sports events are organised. Hosting sports events implies high-level facilities as well as a thoughtful events strategy linked with tourism, economic development, mobility policies, environment concerns and legacy objectives . But nothing is possible without strong partnerships with sports federations and event organisers. The recent period has deeply disrupted both the existing benchmarks and the anticipated schedules.
What is the future of major event bidding and hosting ? Are rights holders increasingly tending to have a “Continuous Dialogue” with the cities rather than launching a bidding process ?
This session aims to answer the above questions by providing concrete examples and best practices from the perspective of IF’s, as well as the cities.
- Al Kidd, President & CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association
- Mark Hurst, Competition Bidding Manager, World Athletics
- Morten Sandnæs, Secretary General, Norwegian Wrestling Federation
- Ariane Croteau, Account Executive Québec City Business Destination
- Birgitte Nestande, Project Manager Events, Innovation Norway
A guided tour in Copenhagen to visit exciting sites where active living has been integrated into the places and buildings. The stories and vision behind these sites will be explained.
Market Place & Coffee Break 10:30-11:30 CET
Session 5 | Building Liveable Cities
While a sedentary lifestyle causes increasing problems, buildings and other urban facilities such as stairs, sidewalks, cycle paths, streets and parks can be thought of and designed to promote physical activity. How can sport and physical activity be included within urban development plans to shape the city differently and consciously in order to offer pleasant and joyful sport opportunities?
- Bryan Ross, Director Strategic Initiatives, Center for Active Design, New York
- Rita Justesen, Head of Planning and Sustainability, By og Havn (The corporation for the development of City and Port in Copenhagen)
- Luc Denis, Sports Director, City of Montréal
Keynote Session
Networking Lunch 12:45-13:45 CET
Afternoon session 13:45-15:00 CET
Session 6 | Building the Good Cases
On their path to becoming a pioneer city in terms of sports, for decades Copenhagen has prioritized public-private partnerships in the process of rethinking and recreating the city. With expertise ranging from sports policy to urban development through health improvement and social integration, Copenhagen can and will inspire you. As a unique and globally recognized destination, this session will give an overview of best practices from Copenhagen. You will have the opportunity to learn from cases by Keingart, Elverdal, Hubbster, Kompan, Jabii, Silent Fit & Play Alive.
Extra Day -Thursday, November 25
Morning activity 9:00-12:00 CET
A guided tour in Copenhagen to visit exciting sites where active living has been integrated into the places and buildings. The stories and vision behind these sites will be explained.
Networking Lunch 12:00-13:00 CET
Afternoon activity 13:00-15:00 CET
Exclusive behind the scenes tour at BLAST Premier Fall Final Copenhagen; one of the biggest esports tournaments in the world. BLAST executives will showcase the best in esports for guests and cover key topics including the growth of esports and the positive impacts the esports industry has on cities, regions, society, young people, business, tourism and more.
IOC President Thomas Bach in Copenhagen
We’re proud to announce that IOC President Thomas Bach has confirmed his participation as a Keynote Speaker at the 8th edition of the Smart Cities and Sport Summit. During the opening session: Building Health Communities, the President Bach will share the vision of the Olympic Movement on Sport and active society. Last year, as part of the IOC’s reform programme, ‘Olympic Agenda 2020’, the IOC signed an agreement with the World Health Organization to promote health through sport and physical activity.
Tuesday, November 23
Morning session 9:00-11:00 CET
Partnerships for the Goals: How can cities, international sports federations and international organisations work together to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
This kick-off session will aim to briefly introduce the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030. It will also launch a discussion on the potential for sport and its stakeholders (mainly cities and international federations) to contribute to the successful achievement of these Goals. Finally, the development of solid and inventive partnerships will be addressed, as they will be key to the success of this ambition.
Peace and Sport: How to shape better cities through sport?
The role of sport in peace-building is one of the most highly debated areas in sport and development, as many limit its contributions to the post-conflict phase. However, the scope of action can be much broader, as sport has proven to be a genuine tool for social integration regardless of a country’s political stability.
How can cities build a better and more peaceful environment for their citizens through sport?
Afternoon session 13:00-15:00 CET
Cities & SDGs: What is the potential of sport in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals?
National governments alone cannot achieve the ambitious goals of the 2030 Agenda – but cities and regions can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Most people live and work in cities, and urbanisation continues to grow all over the world, with 70% of the global population expected to live in cities by 2050. Moreover, in many countries, cities and regions have core competencies for policy areas underlying the SDGs. What role can cities play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sport? And how can cities develop SDG-based strategies that increase revenues and brand awareness while contributing to the common good?
Youth Empowerment: How to best empower youth through sports events?
For some time, cities have been investing heavily in policy development for the education of young people through sport – often hosting sports events attractive to this segment of the population.
At the same time, many international federations are looking for new ways to engage young people; both through educational programmes and new formats for their events, while international organisations have lengthy experience in developing youth empowerment programmes.
What are the best ideas for empowering the next generation through sport?
Evening session 18:00-20:00 CET
Innovation: How to facilitate a general increase in physical activity?
In recent years, the way people engage in sports has changed. While in the past, sports clubs and associations were quite popular and regularly frequented, today people prefer the freedom to practice the sport they want, when and where they want – undermining the traditional model of sport developed by most cities around the world.
What are the avenues of innovation to be explored in response to people’s new way of engaging in sport?
Sport Events and Revenues: A new business model for the post-COVID-19 world?
The sports events industry has historically proven to be rather recession-proof. Most major sports organisations weathered the economic fallout of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the financial crisis in 2008. However, the COVID-19 crisis has forced the cancellation or postponement of sporting events – and this extraordinary situation has had and will continue to have serious financial consequences for all parties involved.
Could this crisis be seen as an opportunity to conceive a new and more sustainable business model?
Wednesday, November 24
Morning session 9:00-11:00 CET
Sport During a Pandemic: How can we break down the barriers to sport?
At the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, more than three-quarters of the world’s population was confined to their homes. But this reality was not experienced in the same way by everyone. While many innovative solutions have enabled some people to maintain regular physical activity, others were forced to give up the practice of sport.
How can we reduce these inequalities of access to sport? And how can we encourage people to stay active, when sport can be an effective way to limit the impact of future health crises?
The Toolbox: Smart cities in action
Three sports cities share inspiring stories.
Leadership Skills
An expert shares several hints for fine-tuning your leadership skills.
Afternoon session 13:00-15:00 CET
Keynote address
A leading figure in sport shares his view on the current state of sport in the world.
Sustainability & Legacy: How can sports events help to mitigate short-term impacts on the environment and to leverage longer-term impacts for meaningful change?
By their very nature, major sports events cannot be seen as positive for the environment. They typically involve large scale international travel, extensive use of energy resources and considerable on-site waste. However, over the last decade, many sports stakeholders have played an important role in minimising their carbon footprint and using their widespread influence to promote environmental causes and practices in the long-term.
While sport cannot be expected to completely close-up shop in the name of the environment, how can sports events innovatively reduce their short-term impacts on the environment while leveraging their long-term positive impacts?
The Toolbox: Smart cities in action
Three sports cities share inspiring stories.
Leadership Skills
An expert shares several hints for fine-tuning your leadership skills.
Evening session 18:00-20:00 CET
Gender Equality: Is gender equality in sport a new development in cities’ policies on sport?
The COVID-19 crisis could lead to a paradigm shift for women’s sport. While some believe that women’s participation in sport will decline due to a potential drop in private financial support, others believe the opposite, as the crisis could lead to a shift in public investment towards sport for all.
What are the possible levers for action to ensure that women’s sport becomes part of the solution to the current crisis?
Is gender equality in sport a new development in cities’ policies on sport?
Event Hosting: How to leverage sport events for the development of ‘active’ tourism?
Over the past decade, a new type of tourism has emerged. People want to be physically active while traveling, whether going for a Sunday morning run or enjoying a full week of sports activities. As a result, cities around the world have begun to use sporting events to market themselves as “active” in order to attract sports tourists.
How can cities best use sporting events to attract active tourists – whether before, during or after the event?
Information about Covid-19 pandemic
This year is very particular and therefore, due to the current circumstances, the Smart Cities & Sport will offer many options to take part in the 2020 Summit. If you have already registered for the on-site Summit you will be fully refunded. Do not hesitate to contact you : info@smartcitiesandsport.org
Download the programme
Speakers
Markus Schnetzer
Head of Local Organising Committee - European Championships Munich 2022
Markus Schnetzer is Head of Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the European Championships Munich 2022. He has been working for Olympiapark München GmbH since January 2007 and has been involved in more than 350 events. From cultural events as concerts, various sports events, to conceptualising multi-sport events, he gained experience and applies his expertise for Munich 2022 to leave an inspiring and lasting legacy to all participants, the City of Munich and future sport events.
Rikke Rønholt Albertsen
board member - National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark
Rikke Rønholt Albertsen is a board member of The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark. In her professional life she is working on a PHD at Copenhagen Business School, Department of Management, Society and Communication. Rikke Rønholt is a former athlete with a Danish championship at the 800 meters amongst her greatest results.
Astrid Glenner-Frandsen
Danish Athlete - 4X100 meters relay
Astrid Glenner-Frandsen is a Danish athlete. She competed in the women's 4 × 100 meters relay event at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 where the team broke their own Danish record. She is a member of the Copenhagen based athletics club Sparta.
Bryan Ross
Director - Center for Active Design
Bryan is the Director, Strategic Initiatives with the Center for Active Design and Fitwel, and oversees special projects/partnerships to amplify the mission of transforming real estate development practice to promote health. Bryan directs Fitwel’s professional development program, the piloting of new products with industry partners, and custom consulting services. He has an M.S. in City & Regional Planning from Pratt Institute.
Marie Barsacq
Executive Director - Impact & Legacy for Paris 2024
After training as a lawyer, Marie Barsacq worked for 10 years for the French National Olympic Committee CNOSF, notably on employment and training in sport. She joined the French Football Federation FFF, creating the Institute of Football Coaching IFF, before becoming FFF’s assistant general manager for amateur football. Marie Barsacq is now Executive Director of Impact & Legacy for Paris 2024 Organising Committee of Olympic and Paralympic games.
Al Kidd
President & CEO - Sports ETA
Al Kidd is the President & CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA). He joined Sports ETA in April 2017, bringing more than 35 years of advertising, sales, marketing, venture capital investing, risk management, executive leadership and non-profit experience to his role with the association. Kidd manages the strategic and financial direction at Sports ETA, while overseeing events, education, marketing and communications, membership, and sponsorship.
Grégoire Junod
Mayor - City of Lausanne
Mayor of the City of Lausanne since July 1st, 2016, Gregory Junod is also in charge of the Culture and Urban Development Department. At the head of the Olympic capital’s major urban projects, he focuses his mandate on developing the city’s housing, sport facilities, transport, culture and the prestige of its universities and educational programmes. His vision for Lausanne is one of a cosmopolitan city open to international trade.
Franciska Rosenkilde
Mayor of Culture and Leisure - City of Copenhagen
Franscika Rosenkilde is the Mayor of Culture and Leisure in the City of Copenhagen who are in charge of cultural institutions, sports facilities, libraries, museums and the City Archives. Franciska Rosenkilde is also the political leader of the party “The Alternative” who are represented in the Danish parliament as well as local and regional councils all over Denmark.
Morten Mølholm Hansen
General Secretary - National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark
Morten Mølholm Hansen has been the General Secretary of The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark since 2015. Morten Mølholm Hansen studied political science at University of Aarhus, earning a cand.scient.pol. degree in 1990. He also holds a master's degree in corporate communication from Copenhagen Business School. Before he started working in the NOC of Denmark he served in The Danish Ministry of Culture.
Marion Schöne
General Manager - Olympic Park Munich
Marion Schöne is the General Manager of the Olympic Park Munich since 2017. Besides, she became Vice-President of the EVVC – the European Association of Event Arenas in 2021. She is Member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission and the “Women in the Economy Committee“ of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Munich. She is ambitious about supporting women and to increase their proportion in leadership positions. Her main goal is leading the Olympic Park Munich into a sustainable and successful future.
Cyrille Tricart
Head of External Relations - Tour de France
Cyrille Tricart - Head of External Relations for the Tour de France - 26 Tours de France - 23 with the organization. Drawing on his former mandate as Deputy Mayor and on his international background, he is in charge of the coordination of Major Departures and community relations. His team of seven people monitors the contracts, their implementation and the Corporate Social Responsibility policy for the Tour de France.
Ida Karstoft
Danish Athlete - 4X100 meters relay
Ida Karstoft is a Danish athlete. She competed in the women's 4 × 100 meters relay event at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 where the team beat their own Danish record. She is a member of the Copenhagen based athletics club Sparta. Ida Karstoft i also a former soccer player who played two games for the Danish national team in 2015.
Philippe Furrer
Founder - insPoweredBy
Philippe has a passion for sport as a catalyst for transformation in young people’s lives and across communities and cities. He spent the largest part of his career with the International Olympic Committee in various senior roles (media operations, transfer of knowledge, brand and identity, education, legacy). He is the founder of insPoweredBy, a small advisory boutique focused on active design, well-being, sport and events.
Émilie Moeschler
Vice Mayor - City of Lausanne
Convinced that sport is a vector of integration, Émilie Moeschler advocates a city where everyone, no matter their age, origin, gender or socio-economic status, finds their place. She is also committed to equality between women and men and the fight against discrimination. As a vice-mayor in charge of sports, she seeks to strengthen the links between the Olympic Capital, the IOC, the Olympic cities and international sports federations.
Charlotte Kirk Elkjaer
Chief Advisor - City of Aarhus
Charlotte Kirk Elkjær is a Chief Advisor at the City of Aarhus, Denmark where she works with attracting, developing and delivering large international events. Charlotte is the Stopover Director for the Ocean Race Stopover Aarhus 2023. Charlotte has waste experiences in collaborating with many partners when creating events.
Hans Natorp
President - National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark
Hans Natorp is president of The National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark. He’s former president of Danish Sailing Association and was an athlete at the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics.
Laura-Maria Tiidla
Development Officer - International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA)
Laura-Maria Tiidla has been engaged with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Young Leaders since 2014 and was appointed in 2019 to the IOC’s Sport and Active Society Commission who advises the IOC on how to best promote a physically active lifestyle in the population with the special focus on youth. Her main focus is on gender equity, diverse inclusive leadership, urban design and youth empowerment. In 2019 she was awarded Astrazeneca's Young Health Programme scholarship and shortlisted as one of the Rising Stars In Women's Sport 2019 recipients by the Everything In Sport and Women in Sport.
Jakub Kalinowski
President - V4SPORT Foundation
Jakub has co-founded the first Active Healthy Kids Report Card in Poland. He serves on the Executive Committees of two global organizations: Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance and International Sport and Culture Association and he is the member of the Rural Sport Commission of the Polish Olympic Committee. Jakub is a graduate of International Relations at the Social Studies Department in Wroclaw, Poland. He studied in Poland, France, US and UK. He has over 12 years of experience in developing and leading sport and active healthy lifestyle projects, both on national and international level. He is an experienced coach and trainer.
Marie Traasdahl Staal
Executive Director - Game
As Executive Director for Innoction and Programs in GAME's Marie Traasdahl Staal is heading GAME’s ambitious innovation agenda centered around exploring the potentials for using street sport as a catalyst for sustainable development. Marie Traasdahl Staal holds a Master Degree in Social Science/Public Administration and has also been studying Design Management on Royal Danish Academy for architecture, Design and Conservation. Marie has worked for a number of years as a political advisor to top decision makers in Denmark and the European Parliament, before moving on to a career in the NGO sector.
Leyla Kosar
Playmaker - GAME
Leyla Kosar is a Playmaker in GAME, where she has been coordinating the street sports activities in Aalborg. She has been teaching children to dance since 2015. Her role with the organization has changed over time: she is a member of the “Hall of GAME”, which calls upon her volunteer experience to help further develop and improve the program. In this capacity, she has taken part in training new volunteers in both Denmark and abroad. Recently Leyla was hired as a student assistant on the GAME program called "Asphalt Meet-Up", and also works as an assistant teacher at Aalborg University. She has a bachelor's degree in sociology and is working on her Master's thesis.
Luc Denis
Director of Sports -City of Montréal
Luc Denis has been working in the sports field for the last 30 years at the local, regional and provincial levels. He was successively, Director General of the Montreal-Concordia Sports Commission (1999-2003), programme Director and then Director of SPORTSQUÉBEC (2004-2013). He is currently Director of Sports for the City of Montréal, in charge of the development of infrastructures and major sports events in Montreal and responsible for making sport and activity more accessible to Montrealers.
Katsura Enyo
Director General of the Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation -Tokyo Metropolitan Governement
Katsura Enyo is the Director General of the Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation at Tokyo Metropolitan Governement. She graduated from the University of Tokyo (education). For the last 9 years, she has been working on the preparation and delivery of Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Oliver Vanges
Development Consultant - LOA’s Team Sports
Oliver Vanges is a development consultant for LOA’s Team Sports. LOA is the Dansih Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities. With over ten years at LOA he has a wide variety of successful projects behind him. Oliver Vanges has considerable experience of advising clients, activists and clubs, and of consulting with architects and other specialists to provide innovative, creative meeting places for the leisure pursuits of the future.
Niels Lund
Vice President - Global Prevention and Health Promotion in Novo Nordisk
Niels Lund is Vice President for Global Prevention and Health Promotion in Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company with more than 95 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. Niels is responsible for the development and implementation of Novo Nordisk's global partnership strategies within the field of prevention and health promotion, including the global Cities Changing Diabetes Partnership Programme with 40 major cities worldwide (www.citieschangingdiabetes.com). He is also engaged in the partnership with UNICEF to reduce childhood obesity.
Stephen Whiting
Technical Officer - WHO European Office
Stephen is a Technical Officer at the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in Moscow where he supports the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region to address the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases through the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and strategies at national and city levels. Before joining the WHO European Regional Office Stephen worked at WHO Headquarters and in WHO Country Offices in Lao PDR and the Solomon Islands. Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Exercise Science and Master of Public Health from the University of Wollongong in Australia and is currently completing a PhD in Public Health at the University of Porto. His main research interests are in assessing the impact of policies on population levels of physical activity and sport participation.
Simon Cooper
Consultant
Simon was Head of Sport at the Greater London Authority (GLA) from 2008-2019. During that time, he set up the Mayor of London’s Sports Legacy Fund, which was the Mayor’s contribution to deliver the sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He also had the lead responsibility for work on major sports events for the Mayor and was involved in a number of major events held in London, including the IAAF and IPC World Athletics Championships and Tour de France Grand Départ. Prior to that, Simon worked on Government sports policy, in the Private Office of the Minister for Sport and then in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. He is a former Director and Trustee of the London Marathon and former Executive Committee Member of the World Union of Olympic Cities.
Tania Braga
Head of Legacy - IOC
Tania Braga oversees the implementation of the IOC Legacy Strategic Approach, working with upcoming and past Olympic Cities to create long-term benefits for people the host city/territory and sport in the host country. Before joining the IOC, she has held the position of Sustainability, Accessibility and Legacy Head of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. Her background combines a PhD in applied economics with hands-on experience with private corporations, local and national governments, research institutions and NGOs in the areas of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Marie Sallois
Director of Corporate and Sustainable Development - IOC
Marie Sallois is currently Director of the Corporate and Sustainable Development department at the IOC. She is in charge of the IOC’s work on sustainability, legacy, gender equality and human rights, as well as the IOC Strategic Development and Brand Management teams, which are core elements of the Olympic Agenda 2020+5. She was also responsible for the IOC Headquarters project, Olympic House, one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.
Pierre Ducrey
Olympic Games Operations Director - IOC
In his role, Pierre Ducrey serves as a key interface within the IOC for Olympic Games Organising Committee (OCOG) executives and a number of key delivery partners. He leads a team that works daily with the various OCOGs, from the election as a host through to Games-time with the objective to deliver successful and safe Games, with a long-term positive impact on communities and people. He joined the IOC in 2003, with a Masters’ Degree in both International Relations and Sports Management.
Francesco Anesi
Ambassador - GSIC powered by Microsoft
By virtue of his passion and his work, Francesco is the Italian Ambassador of the “Global Sport Innovation Centre powered by Microsoft” (an innovative non-profit organization creating bridges between the world of startups and the sport eco-system), collaborates with the Italian “School of Sport”, with “FIGC Youth Lab” (a laboratory on grassroots football/leadership by the Italian Football Association) and with the Italian PM’s Sport Department.
Miel Vanhaverbeke
Managing Director - IPitup
Miel is co-founder and managing director at IPitup, a fast-growing non-profit organization aiming to lower the thresholds to physical activity. He is the co-inventor of the activity bench, a unique all-in-one tool to develop and activate movement-friendly urban spaces. Miel has a master in Physical Education and has extensive expertise in sports infrastructure, health and movement. IPitup is recognized by the EU as innovative practice regarding to promoting sports outside of traditional structures.
Mike Joyce
Head Of Membership, Education & Developement - FIH
Mike is responsible for Membership, Development & Education at the International Hockey Federation (FIH), including event engagement and legacy. He joined the FIH for a second term from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sports Department in June 2018, having previously held roles within International and National Federations and with sport in the private sector. He is currently Chair of the GAISF Membership Commission.
Hilary Atkinson
Director, Pro League & Olympic Games - FIH
Hilary works as Director of FIH Pro League & Olympic Games for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) having joined the team in Lausanne in 2015 and has recently returned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Hockey event in Japan. Previously she has worked within a National Federation as well as the Organising Committees of two “Home” Games, the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games & Glasgow 2014 `Commonwealth Games & the Rugby World Cup, England 2015. She is a currently a co-opted member of the Commonwealth Games Federation Sport Committee.
Oliver Percovitch
Founder and Executive Director - Skateistan
Oliver Percovich first skated in an empty pool at the age of six while growing up in Papua New Guinea. In 2007 Oliver moved to Afghanistan from Australia when his then girlfriend took a job in Kabul. Looking to explore, he would skate the city, and street-working kids would follow him around and ask to try. In 2008, Oliver founded Skateistan, a grassroots 'Sport for Development' project on the streets of Kabul. Today, Skateistan is an award-winning international organization with Skate Schools and programs running in Afghanistan (currently suspended due to security situation), Cambodia, South Africa and Jordan.
Nelson Mota
President & Founder of Association Team Pervenches
Born in Carouge/Geneva 30 years ago, Nelson is a social entrepreneur who believes in the unique power of sport to unite people and change the world. He graduated from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, one of the world’s leading hospitality universities, and founded a local NGO in Carouge, which provides training sessions to local youth in futsal and other urban sports. He loves to practice football, volley-ball, hiking and skiing and is a keen biker and backpacker.
Rita Justesen
Head of Planning and Sustainability - By&Havn
Rita Justesen is Head of Planning and Sustainability at By&Havn (English: City&Port). By&Havn is the corporation for development of the city and port in Copenhagen. It’s an organization, tasked with the development of new city areas and the port of Copenhagen and the daily operations of the latter. By&Havn is owned by The City of Copenhagen (55%) and the Danish government, through the Ministry of transportation (45%).
Birgitte Nestande
Project Manager Events - Innovation Norway
Bo Sten Hansen
Club Leader - BK Union
Sophie Hæstorp
candidate for Lord Mayor - City of Copenhagen
Sophie Hæstorp Andersen served as Chairman of the regional council in the Capital Region of Denmark from 2014 to 2021. In 2021 she is a candidate for Lord Mayor in the City of Copenhagen from the Social Democratic Party. Before serving as Chairman in the Capital Region Sophie Hæstorp Andersen was a member of Folketinget, the Danish parliament.
Profile
The Summit will provide a high-level and prestigious platform for the exchange of ideas and experience among cities of all sizes.
- Representatives from cities interested in sport as a tool for urban development
- Sport event organisers
- Representatives from the international sport world including the International Olympic Committee and the International Federations
Benefits
- Full access to the 2 days of Conference Program
- Networking opportunities
- Access to the Welcome Cocktail
- Access to the Gala Dinner
- Access to the Delegate App
- Post-Event Report
Registration fee: 1’200 CHF
Online registration: 99 CHF
Only streaming conferences and Delegate App
Become a Member
The Smart Cities & Sport Network is growing! Become a Member and get 50% discount on on-site registration fee and 3 free accesses to the online Summit.
Membership fee: 250 CHF/year
Host City - Copenhagen 2021
Copenhagen – Denmark
Host City of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit 2021
Copenhagen, the cultural capital of the North.
With an abundance of world-renowned museums, music venues, festivals and historical sites, Copenhagen is full of character. And among the picturesque cobbled squares, canals and copper spires, the city boasts the best shopping, restaurants and nightlife in Northern Europe.
With a metropolitan population of 1.3 million, Copenhagen is the most populous city in Scandinavia.
For more information about Copenhagen and things to do in Denmark, check out here.
Smart Cities & Sport Summit Venues
Official Hotel
Welcome Cocktail
Copenhagen City Hall
The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen. It is – with its 105,6 meters to the top of the tower – one of the tallest buildings in Copenhagen, and offers a great view over the city.
It was built in the years 1892-1905 and was designed by the architect Martin Nyrop in the National Romantic style, drawing inspiration from the Siena City Hall, Italy.
Gala Dinner
Langelinie Pavillonen
Langelinie Pavillonen is situated next to the Little Mermaid in beautiful surroundings. The listed building holds Danish architecture icons such as Henning Larsen and Arn Jacobsen.
The venue offers the best of Copenhagen food and drink with a unique location by the water. Summit participants will arrive by boat.
Transportation
How to get there ?
By train
From Copenhagen Airport (Terminal 3 on track 2) to Copenhagen. Get off at Copenhagen Central Station. The hotel is located in 10 minutes walking distance from the station.
Or get a train on tracks 11 and 12 at Central Station until Dybbølsbro Station. Then take the bus n°7A at Fisketorver, Dybbølsbro and get off at Tivoli Hotel.
Tickets from the airport to Copenhagen Central Station are also valid on the bus, metro and S-train.
By taxi
You can take a taxi from the airport (approx. DKK 280). All taxis are metered and accept all major international credit cards.
Find more details here.
Access
Participants flying to Switzerland are recommended to Geneva Airport.
It is possible to transfer from the airport to Lausanne with the train or taxi. Tickets can be purchased directly at the airport.
For more information, please visit here.
Lausanne is a key station in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, located on the Geneva-Zurich line. Two trains an hour run to these cities, and there are also services to Bern, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Sion, Bienne and Basel.
Metro (M2) will take you from the Lausanne railway station to Délices in 3 minutes. Then, you need to cross the street and the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa is located just in front of the metro station.
Map of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit Site
Lausanne public transport online timetable
Lausanne is the point where the motorway networks meet up in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa are ten minutes from the freeway exit “Lausanne Maladière” and have parking spaces for 846 vehicles.
Access
Participants flying to Switzerland are recommended to Geneva Airport.
It is possible to transfer from the airport to Lausanne with the train or taxi. Tickets can be purchased directly at the airport.
For more information, please visit here.
Lausanne is a key station in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, located on the Geneva-Zurich line. Two trains an hour run to these cities, and there are also services to Bern, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Sion, Bienne and Basel.
Metro (M2) will take you from the Lausanne railway station to Délices in 3 minutes. Then, you need to cross the street and the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa is located just in front of the metro station.
Map of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit Site
Lausanne public transport online timetable
Lausanne is the point where the motorway networks meet up in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa are ten minutes from the freeway exit “Lausanne Maladière” and have parking spaces for 846 vehicles.
Information about Copenhagen
Travel to Copenhagen
With non-stop flights from 190+ international destinations, 41 intercontinental routes and more than 4,900 weekly departures and arrivals*, Copenhagen Airport is Scandinavia’s largest airport and accessible from anywhere in the world.
Copenhagen airport has a terminal exclusively for low-cost carriers that services 10 low-cost airlines. Together they offer 96 low cost routes that account for approximately 20% of total scheduled services*.
Copenhagen Airport has both metro and train stations conveniently located in the arrival hall.
Trains run to Copenhagen Central Station every 10 minutes at a travel time of 14 minutes. The Copenhagen Metro runs around the clock and gets you from the airport to the city centre in just 12 minutes.
If one prefers staying on the ground, Copenhagen is well-connected to the rest of Europe through the extensive European highway network and the Öresund Bridge, which provides easy road and train access to Sweden.
On this note, we encourage the reduction of carbon emissions through railway travel as Copenhagen is well-connected to the rest of Europe by train.
Visa and entry requirements
Denmark is a member of the European Union, which means travel to and from the country is governed by EU law. Therefore, different entry requirements may apply for delegates depending on travel origin and nationality. However, most event participants will not need a visa to visit Denmark.
If you are travelling to Denmark from a European country, it usually does not require a visa. However, there are few exceptions. As such, we recommend that you consult the website of the Danish Immigration Service to verify if you are exempted from the visa requirements or if you need a visa to enter Denmark.
If you are visa exempt, you normally have the right to spend a maximum of 90 days in Denmark without contacting the Danish Immigration Authorities. If you need a visa to enter Denmark, it is recommended that you lodge your application as early as possible. The application cannot be submitted earlier than three months before the expected date of arrival in Denmark.
You can apply for a short term visa in Denmark here.
It is the responsibility of the participants to obtain a visa if needed. If the visa is not granted on time, the cancellation policy will be applied.
Weather
November temperatures range from 4°C (39°F) at night (minimum night temperature) to 7°C at daytime (44°F) (maximum day temperature).
For the current weather forecast, please click here.
Time Zone
Copenhagen Standard Time Zone
(UTC+01:00)
Electricity / Plugs
Denmark uses the two-pin continental plug and operates on 230 volts and 50Hz (cycles) AC.
Entrance authorisation for Denmark related to the health conditions
Entry into Denmark is allowed if the purpose is to attend a business meeting. The visitor must be able to present written evidence and, in some cases, a proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
Keep updated on the current restriction for travel to Denmark here.
Discover our latest publication!
Sport Tourism (R)evolution
In line with Smart Cities & Sport’s role as a knowledge exchange platform and catalyst for change, this new publication aims to shed light on how best to combine sport and tourism as a catalyst for cities to achieve their goals, be they economic, social or environmental.
The publication starts with key facts and figures on the industry from the tourism sector including sport tourism. It also defines sport tourism – “leisure-based travel participate in and/or watch physical activities or to visit attractions associated with physical activities” – and the role cities canplay in this sector.
Institutional Partners
Local Partners
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Previous editions of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit
2020 Summit
Virtual Event
2019 Summit
Tokyo – Japan
2018 Summit
Lausanne – Switzerland
2017 Summit
Montréal – Canada