News

Hamburg sets out to become a Global Active City

One of Germany’s sportiest cities has joined a worldwide network of places trying to encourage their residents to be more physically active. The Active Well-being Initiative (AWI) is delighted to welcome Hamburg among its growing number of partner cities. Hamburg is aiming to achieve full Global Active City status by the end of the year. Christoph Holstein, Hamburg State Councillor for the Department of Home Affairs and Sports, who attended an AWI workshop in Liverpool, UK earlier this year, said:…

Ljubljana creates new green space for all

Our partner city in Slovenia has turned an unmanageable patch of land into a play area accessible to everyone. This beautiful playground in Ljubljana used to be home to a vast collection of informal and illegal allotment gardens – defined as green space in planning documents, but in reality out of public use. Until 2007 the ground, next to the iconic Žale cemetery designed by Slovene architect Jože Plečnik, was described as a problem area. It had many garden…

Be part of a Europe-wide active city survey

Has your city responded to the Project PACTE survey on physical activity? More than 200 cities and towns from 26 countries have already taken part in what will be the biggest ever research project into active city strategies in Europe. The results will be used to create a measuring tool to monitor local physical activity levels, and free resources for places that want to become active cities. Project PACTE – Promoting Active Cities Throughout Europe – is run by the think…

How the Active Well-being Initiative began:
a profile of co-founders Evaleo and TAFISA

The Active Well-being Initiative (AWI) was created by two non-profit making bodies, Evaleo and TAFISA. The idea to create a Global Active City Standard was instigated by both organisations, bringing together their complementary know-how and expertise, with the support of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Evaleo, a well-being and sustainable health organisation and facilitator, led the creation of the standard, tapping into a network of over 70 specialists and researchers in urban management, physical activity, health and sport science. The…

Global Active City programme to expand by helping to create more active and healthy communities for the future

Our worldwide network of active cities is set to expand following a knowledge-sharing event attended by ten different countries. Several delegates at the Global Active City workshop, organised by the Active Well-being Initiative (AWI), expressed an interest in joining the programme. If given the go-ahead by their political leaders, their cities will work with the AWI to create active, healthy, and happy communities for the future. The workshop took place in Liverpool, UK and was hosted in conjunction with Liverpool…

Cities design active and healthy communities for the future at Global Active City workshop

City leaders from across the world are coming together this week to share ideas about how to create active, healthy, happy communities. Representatives of eight cities, two sports bodies, and a national government will attend a workshop about the Global Active City programme run by the Active Well-being Initiative. The event in Liverpool, UK, from 7-9 March will include field trips to projects that have successfully encouraged tens of thousands of people to take up regular physical activity. Liverpool, a…

Global Active City Introductory Workshop

The Active Well-being Initiative (AWI) will host an introductory workshop for cities which are committed to increasing participation in physical activity and sport for all. The event in Liverpool, UK from 7 to 9 March 2018 will offer the chance to learn from active cities experts who are already on track to creating a Global Active City in their neighbourhoods. The event will be hosted in Liverpool, which started its Active City programme in 2005 and since 2015 has…

Cities of the world join efforts to make people more active and healthy through a new global programme

Cities across the world are being urged to sign up to the Global Active City programme, a new health and physical activity promotion scheme that is proven to increase individual and collective well-being among the world’s growing urban population. With many more to come, ten pilot cities are currently testing the Global Active City model and show significant improvements in sports participation and public health outcomes. The scheme is now being rolled out worldwide, with all cities invited to join…

AWI to present at global conference

Some of our teams are in Montréal this week to attend the Smart Cities & Sport Summit 2017, organised by the World Union of Olympic Cities. There will be a presentation by the AWI at the conference today, Tuesday 3 October.