Copenhagen to host Smart Cities & Sport Summit in November

The World Union of Olympic Cities has chosen Copenhagen for its Smart Cities & Sport Summit this November as the focus is put on how to create more active and liveable cities. Copenhagen offers many smart solutions and is a playground for the active and a frontrunner when it comes to creating greener, more liveable and active cities. These are some of the reasons, no doubt, why the organisers of Smart Cities & Sport chose Copenhagen for their annual summit, 22-24 November 2021. Usually, Smart Cities and Sport Summit is only hosted in an Olympic host city or the Olympic headquarters, but the World Union of Olympic Cities  made an exception to the rule due to Copenhagen having hosted the 2009 IOC Congress.” “As the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), we are very proud that Copenhagen will be the host city for Smart Cities & Sport. Copenhagen is a prime example of how to create urban environments that promote movement in everyday life. At the same time, the congress is a great start to the co-operation between the city of Copenhagen, DGI (sports association) and DIF, which aims to make the capital the world’s most active city,” says Hans Natorp, chairman of DIF, NOC and Sports Confederation of Denmark. Copenhagen has been busy hosting matches of EURO2020 and is preparing to welcome the combined WorldPride and EuroGames later this summer and the Tour de France – Grand Départ next year. “The election of Copenhagen as host city of Smart Cities & Sport is an important recognition. It emphasises that internationally our city is considered to be both attractive and safe. The fact that we are able to do sports and exercise in the city is a big part of Copenhagen’s DNA. We can ride our bikes in the streets, swim in the harbors and do sports in the green spaces – and with the big variety of sport associations in Copenhagen we have a strong sense of connectedness around sport that unites us across social divisions. This contributes to making Copenhagen one of the best cities to live in,” said Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Lars Weiss. Sport Event Denmark also welcomed the Smart Cities & Sport Summit: “Yet one more of the leading international sports congresses is now coming to Denmark and Copenhagen after SportAccord in 2017, and the IOC Session and Olympic Congress in 2009. We are very pleased, and we look forward to being a co-organiser again and to welcoming the World of Sports back,” said Lars Lundov, CEO, Photo: Courtesy of Wonderful Copenhagen/Daniel Rasmussen