[Source: World Triathlon] Organisers of the World Triathlon Multisport Championships have today announced that the event will be heading to Townsville, Australia, in 2024. The 10-day event will be held in the charming town in North Queensland in 2024, with thousands of athletes from around the world expected to take part.
The World Triathlon Multisport Championships will see duathlon, long distance triathlon, long distance aquabike, aquathlon, cross triathlon and cross duathlon world championship races organized together during a week-long festival. This ground-breaking event now allows for athletes to compete in various multisport races, as opposed to electing only one each season. And participants can even vie for the Multisport Legend, a title reserved for those who compete in four events.
World Triathlon President and IOC member Marisol Casado said that the organisation was looking forward to heading to Townsville in 2024. “We are absolutely delighted to return to Queensland after such a long time without events in Australia, this time for one of our flagship events: the Multisport World Championships in Townsville,” she said. “Over the last years, Australia has become synonymous of triathlon on its multiple variations, and has proved to be a magnificent host for the triathlon family, playing host to some truly memorable performances and great champions, staging races the results of which have helped shape the path of entire seasons.
“Being able to hold these important races in one fantastic location and all under the banner of one festival has proved to be hugely beneficial for athletes, spectators and media alike, allowing the global World Triathlon family the opportunity to gather together for a true celebration of the sport, and we are extremely excited to head to Townsville in 2024,” she said.
Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the Multisport World Championships cemented Townsville’s place as the sporting events capital of northern Australia. “I’m looking forward to seeing the Multisport World Championships come to life here in the North, bringing together thousands of elite and age-group athletes,” Mr Stewart said. “The Palaszczuk Government is proud to support the Multisport World Championships because we understand the importance of events to local jobs and Townsville’s visitor economy.
“This event is great news for North Queensland tourism operators, accommodation and transport providers, and local retailers,” he said. “It’s also a golden opportunity for competitors and spectators to build extra time into their stay to explore Townsville’s amazing tourism and Indigenous cultural experiences, world-class dining, the reef, and breathtaking tropical islands and rainforests.”
Mayor Jenny Hill said the Townsville City Council and the wider community was looking forward to welcoming the Multisport World Championships to the city.
“Hosting this event is a real coup of Townsville and further reinforces our city’s reputation as the events capital of Northern Australia,” Cr Hill said. “With our beautiful natural environment and ideal weather, I can think of no better place for the world’s best athletes to test their skills and endurance.
“The championships will also provide a platform to promote our city and region to the world, which will boost our tourism industry for years to come.”
Miles Stewart OAM OLY, Triathlon Australia CEO, welcomed news that the event would be held in Townsville in 2024. “This is fantastic news for triathlon and multisport in Australia, and for our members who have been anticipating, and looking forward to racing and officiating at these world championships on home soil,” said Stewart. “We’re expecting our largest Australian representative team on record for Townsville 2024 with seven championships on the schedule from cross-triathlon, aquathlon to long course.
“The festival format will mean athletes can race across multiple disciplines on multiple days, which is really exciting, and will be a great boost for Australian events with athletes racing to qualify for a spot on the team from 2023,” he said. “Australia has some of the best triathlon events in the world, and we can’t wait to welcome the world’s best to Townsville, and continue to build on our legacy of hosting world-class events.
Official dates for the Townsville Multisport World Championships will be announced in the near future.
The World Triathlon Multisport Championships made its debut in the World Triathlon calendar in 2017 in Penticton (Canada), a successful event that was followed by Fyn (Denmark) in 2018 and Pontevedra (Spain) in 2019. After the event being cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, in 2021 the races were held in multiple locations (Almere, El Anillo and Aviles). In 2022 the event will travel to Romania and Slovakia, and will return to the original format of all races in one location during a 10-day festival in Ibiza (Spain) in 2023 and Townsville (Australia) in 2024.
Blog
-
World Triathlon Multisport Championships heads for Townsville in 2024
-
ASOIF urges safeguarding sport’s international structures
[Source: ASOIF] The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) today released a position paper titled “The solidarity model of organised sport in Europe and beyond – A stable platform for collaboration”, aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the role International Federations (IFs) play in the global organisation of sport, and to a more informed debate on its future.
Primarily addressed to public authorities in Europe and beyond, sport organisations and the business sector, this paper was developed against the backdrop of ongoing discussions at European level on how to best safeguard values-based sport while IFs regularly face challenges to their operations, including proceedings and lawsuits in various territories. In particular it aims to provide a proactive and constructive response to the Resolution on the key features of a European Sport Model recently adopted by the European Union’s Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council. The Resolution asks the sport movement to support the key features of a European Sport Model which reflects the worldwide solidarity model of organised sport. It also calls upon the sport world to further explore and continue ongoing discussions with all stakeholders and acknowledge the diversity of approaches and new developments across different types of sport, in line with values-based organised sport.
ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said about the new position paper: “In our ever-changing world, the relevance of sport keeps growing. Every day, new stakeholders become involved in the sport sector. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it renders the role and activities of IFs, and the Olympic Movement at large, more complex. This situation also makes it more urgent to safeguard the values of the solidarity model of organised sport while still embracing progress and new ideas. I am convinced that the two can go hand-in-hand.”
He emphasised: “However, public authorities, sport organisations and the world of business must all work together if we want to tap the full potential of sport. Our paper aims to go beyond declarations, setting out solutions that we believe are fast, solid and sustainable.”
The document explains the role and diversity of IFs as worldwide governing bodies of their respective sports; it outlines the solidarity model of organised sport and details its key features; and it looks at other models of sport organisation, recent trends and developments which keep transforming the world of sport, providing both opportunities and challenges. The proposed framework at the end of the paper contains clear commitments on how IFs, public authorities and commercial entities can work together efficiently, expanding on the recent reflections of the European institutions and beyond.
Click here to download the document. -
Nordic FAs confirm “ethics-enhancing” bid for Euro 2025
[Source: Nordic FAs] The Nordic countries bid for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with a strong vision of involving and developing women’s football. Nordic values and sustainable development are the core power of the joint bid.
The Nordic football associations have worked closely together for four years to make a joint bid for a major championship. Now Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have announced their preliminary bid for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with support from the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
“Football is a powerful opportunity to make a change. Together with our Nordic allies we want to show the world through football we have a chance to enhance ethics, transparency and bright and diverse future of the sports”, says president of the Finnish Football Association, Ari Lahti.
In Denmark, they draw on experiences from EURO2020, where four matches were very successfully staged in Copenhagen.
In the last few years, the Nordic Football Associations have researched for stadiums, host cities, base camps, and other facilities to form the complete picture of how to develop the best possible host for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. This work will continue until October 2022 when a final bid should be submitted.
In December 2022, UEFA’s executive committee will announce the host of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. If awarded to the Nordic team, it will be a spectacular final at Friends Arena in Stockholm – the largest stadium in the Nordic region with room for 50,000 spectators.
Karl-Erik Nilsson, President of the Swedish Football Association says: “All Nordic football associations agrees about the importance of organizing major championships in our countries, and together we have great ambitions for the development of women’s football. We know that a UEFA Women’s Euro in the Nordic countries will strengthen the women’s football, and become an unforgettable experience for both players and supporters.”
Jesper Møller, President of the Danish Football Association says: “The Nordic bid for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 is much more than a championship – it is a team work to ensure the continued development of women’s football for more diversity across our common, Nordic visions and values. With EURO 2020 in fresh memory, where Denmark showed its event potential, we will reuse and refine all the good experiences. With a joint Nordic bid, we will display not just Denmark but the entire Nordic approach to women’s football and innovative event management”
Lise Klaveness, President of Norway Football Association says: “UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Norway and the Nordic countries will be a celebration of inclusion, tolerance, and community for all football fans at the stadiums and events in the hosting cities. The spectacle of the finals will be an integrated part of our strategy to strengthen the position of women and girls on and off the pitch in Norwegian football. Great progress has been made in Norway and internationally in recent years developing the women’s game where we are proud to be a pioneer. A Nordic UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament will be a powerful showcase for even greater impact and legacy.” -
Global Esports Federation welcomes IMG as Strategic Partner
[Source: Global Esports Federation] The Global Esports Federation has announced the appointment of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events, and media, as its Strategic Partner. IMG will collaborate with the GEF and its Strategic Partner for Esports Services, FACEIT, to shape the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships in Birmingham this August. IMG will also support and provide commercial consultancy for the second edition of the GEF’s Flagship event – the Istanbul 2022 Global Esports Games in December.
IMG will utilize its expertise and global reach to further accelerate the rapid global expansion of the GEF’s esports events portfolio, through the staging of live content, brand creation, event management, marketing, media distribution, and partnership rights management.
“We are proud to welcome IMG to our Global Esports family. This is an important strategic partnership, not only for the GEF and IMG, but for players, fans and brands around the world,” said Lorenzo Giorgetti, Board Member and Chair of the GEF Brand, Marketing, Communications Commission. “We look forward to creating tremendous value for the GEF and our worldwide properties together.”
Paul J. Foster, CEO of the GEF emphasized, “It’s the connection and sharing of our human stories that are unlocking the superpowers of our time. We are proud to collaborate with IMG as we help to unite passionate brands with esports, sport, powerful technology and the Global Esports’ limitless innovation. We have seen the magic that powerful partnerships can create for our community. In our #worldconnected community, we level up our collective strengths and unlock opportunities together. Our worldwide collective of GEF partners shares our optimism for the future and deep commitment to our community, elevating esports on the global stage.”
Richard Wise, SVP, Content and Channels for IMG’s media business, said, “This is an exciting year for the Global Esports Federation and esports in general, and we are delighted to bring our expertise in a wide range of areas to ensure these major events are successful. The world of esports has grown enormously in recent years and these two events will provide outstanding entertainment for fans all over the world.”
In 2021, IMG signed a consultancy partnership with the Global Esports Games Organizing Committee and successfully staged the highly-anticipated inaugural Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games. The first-ever GEG attracted over 500 million accumulated views, including 4.4 million global live views during the two-day live event in Singapore. -
CGF confirm Victoria, Australia as host of 2026 Commonwealth Games
[Source: Commonwealth Games Federation]
The announcement follows a successful exclusive dialogue period between the CGF, Commonwealth Games Australia (CGAus) and Victoria, where an exciting proposal to stage the major multi-sport competition across the State was agreed.
The proposal capitalises on the 2026/30 Strategic Roadmap, which provides renewed flexibility to be innovative and creative in delivering the Games.
In what will be a first ever predominantly regional Commonwealth Games, Victoria 2026 will be staged in March 2026 across multiple cities and regional hubs including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. The Opening Ceremony will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The approach will showcase the best of what the State has to offer and ensure a uniquely Victorian experience for the athletes and spectators.
There will be a phased approach in creating the sports programme for Victoria 2026. An initial 16 sports have been put forward for the Games, with further sports to be added later this year.
The CGF, CGAus and Victoria entered an exclusive dialogue period in February 2022. A CGF and CGAus visit to Victoria took place later that month. This was followed by a Victoria 2026 delegation presenting their 2026 Games Proposal to the CGF Executive Board in Birmingham, England in March 2022. The Proposal has now been approved by the CGF Executive Board, with the Host Contract to be signed in Victoria today.
CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria.
Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision for hosting our major multi-sport event.
In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey.
This is a very special moment for the Commonwealth Sport Family and on behalf of the entire Movement, I would like to congratulate Commonwealth Games Australia and Victoria on their successful Games submission. We now look forward to a bright future as we work together to stage a Commonwealth Games like no other.”
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said: “It’s a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games – we can’t wait to welcome the world to all of our state.”
“The Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria is great for jobs, hospitality and our economy.”
Australia has staged the Commonwealth Games on five occasions, with Victoria playing host to the Melbourne 2006 Games; widely considered one of the most successful editions of the event in history. The country has also staged the Games in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and most recently Gold Coast in 2018. Victoria has also hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo in 2004.”
Commonwealth Games Australia President Ben Houston said: “Commonwealth Games Australia is thrilled to welcome the athletes of the Commonwealth back to Australia and we look forward to working with both the CGF and the Victorian Government to bring the Games to life across Victoria in 2026.”
“A home Games will provide immeasurable benefits for our Member sports and will inspire our athletes in what will be a unique and exciting Games”.
The 2026 Games will be the 23rd edition of the major multi-sport competition, which first began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.
Victoria is a world-leading major events and tourism destination. The State has a strong track record for staging high profile sporting competitions including The Australian Open tennis grand slam, the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup. Victoria also regularly hosts elite cricket, golf and Australian Rules Football competition.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be staged in Birmingham, England from 28 July – 8 August. -
IOC and Deloitte announce global partnership to advance the Olympic Movement
[Source: IOC] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Deloitte today announced a decade-long, five-Games TOP partnership through 2032. Deloitte will serve as a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner for the following Games: Paris 2024, the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2030 and Brisbane 2032.
As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, Deloitte will apply its deep expertise in management and business consulting to help enhance and secure the IOC’s digital ecosystem supporting the Olympic Movement.
Deloitte and the IOC have formed a “partnership with purpose” that leverages Deloitte’s considerable business acumen to help the IOC realise the possibilities of its strategic roadmap for the future, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and its vision to build a better world through sport. In partnership with the IOC, Deloitte will provide a global team with wide-ranging management and business consulting capabilities to deliver meaningful impact to the National Olympic Committees, billions of fans, and the thousands of athletes who make the Olympic Games possible.
Deloitte will utilise its environmental, social and governance services expertise to assist the Olympic Movement in driving progress on critical challenges identified in Olympic Agenda 2020+5 related to corporate governance, strategy, sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, and athlete support and well-being.
“We are living through one of the most consequential moments in history. The Olympic Movement plays a vital role in uniting the world through friendship, solidarity and fair play, and never has this been more important than now. Together, Deloitte and the IOC aspire to make an impact that matters – to strengthen, enhance and create a long-lasting and positive impact on society through the Olympic Movement,” said Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO.
“We are delighted to be working with Deloitte and excited by the opportunity this partnership presents for the entire Olympic Movement. Deloitte’s initiatives to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals align with the IOC’s philosophy of further change and transformation as expressed in the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020+5 strategic roadmap for the future,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“Having worked with Deloitte for several years now, the IPC is enthusiastic to explore with Deloitte how its expertise and wide range of services can benefit the wider Paralympic Movement as we aim to use sport as a tool to drive social inclusion,” said International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons.
Enabling the transformation of the Olympic Movement
Deloitte will support the IOC with its digital transformation strategy. It will utilise its digital expertise to help advise in such areas as personalising the fan experience and enhancing digital services, connecting fans around the world and extending the appeal of the Olympic Games between editions.
Advancing the IOC’s purpose and efforts to address global challenges
As a leader in purpose-led organisational initiatives, Deloitte will bring that expertise to support and advise the IOC in the development of strategies that will help it achieve its vision of building a better world through sport.
Deloitte will work with the IOC on the development of programmes, legacy projects and playbooks on initiatives such as athlete support and mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability and the reduction of the Games’ carbon footprint.
In recognition of the importance of good governance and transparency, as expressed in Olympic Agenda 2020+5, a “Centre of Excellence” will be developed through this partnership relating to best practices in administration and management operations for participating National Olympic Committees.
Michele Parmelee, Deloitte Global Chief People and Purpose Officer, said: “This partnership brings together two iconic global brands who share a passion for driving positive societal impact. We see this spirit embodied in the Olympians and Paralympians who work for Deloitte and inspire us to see the possibility of what Deloitte and the IOC can accomplish together.”
Jiri Kejval, IOC Marketing Commission Chair, stated: “Deloitte’s relationship with the Olympic Movement is a clear example of how the Worldwide Olympic Partner Programme continues to attract the most renowned names in business. Deloitte’s commitment to providing world-class expertise to the Olympic Movement demonstrates the unique opportunity that the TOP Programme provides.”
This is Deloitte’s first global partnership with the IOC and is the culmination of Deloitte’s many years of support for various parties in the Olympic Movement. The new global partnership complements Deloitte’s ongoing agreement with the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028, as well as with the Canadian Olympic Committee, German Olympic and Paralympic Committees, Irish Olympic Committee, Polish Olympic Committee, and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, where Deloitte’s member firms provide support to thousands of Olympians and Paralympians. -
Aggreko and Birmingham 2022 strive to reduce emissions through latest technology
(Source: Aggreko) The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games aims to make these the most sustainable Games yet. It is working closely with its partners, suppliers, and wider stakeholder to reduce its carbon footprint wherever possible.
Central to this is the way the event is powered and as energy is a key part of the Games’ carbon footprint, focus has been given to driving emissions down.
The Games are taking a ‘mains first’ approach, using the existing infrastructure from venues reducing reliance on additional generators, and where temporary energy is needed, working closely with Aggreko to drive emissions down.
As the Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter for Birmingham 2022, Aggreko is responsible for planning the temporary energy framework for all 15 of the Games’ venues. These include large-scale venues such as Alexander Stadium and Coventry Stadium & Arena, to greenfield sites of regional parks like Warwick and Sutton. They are also powering additional requirements in sites key to the Games, including the Birmingham 2022 Villages in Birmingham and Warwick and the remote vehicle security site.
The fleet includes 117 of Aggreko’s latest Stage V generators from 30kVA up to 600kVa running on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – a more sustainable fuel source. Stage V engines provide greater efficiency than traditional generators as well as reducing NOx emissions, CO2 emissions, and other harmful particulates. The acoustically designed equipment also results in a reduction of noise, considering the local surroundings of the venues.
The generators will be operating in Load on Demand configuration, meaning they will replace a large, constantly operating generator with a group of smaller generators that can power up or down automatically according to demand onsite.
To support the generator set-up, Aggreko will be supplying several batteries at 300 kVA. A specialist Y-Cube energy storage battery will be used in the fleet depot centre at the University of Birmingham to power the Games’ electric vehicles.
The generators and batteries will be used in tandem to aid carbon and fuel savings and at Victoria Park solar power will also be garnered in conjunction with the hybrid generators.
Primary generation and distribution equipment will take advantage of Aggreko’s remote monitoring centre which will continually analyse performance to ensure equipment is always running at peak efficiency.
James Eade, Head of Energy for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, says: “As a client we have been receptive and encouraged Aggreko to avail of innovation in power generation and to rethink established paradigms in this area. Collectively we have worked hard to ensure that nearly all the venues display some element of new technology or techniques.”
Robert Wells, Managing Director of Event Solutions at Aggreko, says: “While Aggreko is well-versed in the planning of temporary power for large-scale global events, we always strive to improve on every project we take on. As such, the entire business is whole-heartedly committed to its responsibility as Modular Energy Solutions Supporter, and its impact on the environment in 2022 and beyond.
“The sustainability conversation has of course been ongoing for some time, but now our latest Greener Upgrades programme enables us to easily advise customers on the small changes they can make to reduce harmful emissions and the use of fuel. For the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games this means it can work to its goal of leaving a carbon neutral legacy, which we are incredibly proud to support.”
To hear David de Behr, Head of Sales Aggreko Event Services speak on the panel Can innovations in physical technology balance sustainability with cost? at Host City Americas on 29th June, REGISTER HERE for FREE: https://www.hostcity.com/events/host-city-americas/register
-
16 cities revealed to host FIFA World Cup 2026
[Source: FIFA] A significant milestone on the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ was reached tonight as the 16 Host Cities that are due to stage matches at the first edition of football’s showpiece to feature 48 teams were unveiled by FIFA. The highly anticipated announcement was made on a TV show produced in cooperation with FOX and Telemundo from New York and broadcast live to host countries Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as the whole world via FIFA+.
Today’s announcement follows the most transparent and comprehensive bidding process in football history, with FIFA’s decision having been made in the best interests of the game, taking into consideration the needs of all stakeholders involved in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“We congratulate the 16 FIFA World Cup Host Cities on their outstanding commitment and passion. Today is a historic day – for everyone in those cities and states, for FIFA, for Canada, the USA and Mexico who will put on the greatest show on Earth. We look forward to working together with them to deliver what will be an unprecedented FIFA World Cup and a game-changer as we strive to make football truly global,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“We were delighted by the unparalleled competitiveness of this selection process. We are extremely grateful not only to the 16 cities that have been selected, but also to the other six – with whom we look forward to continuing to engage and explore additional opportunities to welcome fans and participating teams. This has always been a FIFA World Cup of three countries, and that undoubtedly will have a tremendous impact on the whole region and the wider football community,” added FIFA Vice President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Ciites:
Atlanta
Boston
Dallas
Guadalajara
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Mexico City
Miami
Monterrey
New York / New Jersey
Philadelphia
San Francisco Bay Area
Seattle
Toronto
Vancouver -
Edmonton confirms full commitment for FIFA World Cup 2026 ambitions
[Source: Explore Edmonton] The City of Edmonton has today confirmed its full support for ambitions to host matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
The news comes with the formal signing of an agreement with FIFA, the final step in the process of FIFA’s Official Host City selection. The agreement includes investment guarantees irrespective of FIFA’s allocation of matches, and a shortlist of firms to assist with the advancement of facilities at the stadium and training facilities.
An announcement by FIFA on the host cities is set to be made on 16 June in New York, completing a thorough two-year process. For Edmonton, this included a visit by FIFA delegates in November 2021, during which the city hosted Canada’s FIFA World Cup 2022™ qualification match against Mexico, selling over 51,000 tickets despite winter temperatures of -9? Celsius.
Edmonton is one of three Canadian cities awaiting confirmation as a host city, alongside Toronto and Vancouver. Should FIFA decide to allocate host cities according to the United 2026 bid, all three would become host cities, along with three in Mexico and ten in the United States.
The City’s ambition to become a 2026 host city also enjoys vast local support, with public surveys showing a 93% favourability for the event. Community and business leaders have also been an active part of the process, including via the FIFA Champions Committee, which advises and promotes the work of the candidature. The Committee is chaired by Chief Billy Morin, chief of the Enoch Cree Nation, which forms an especially key part of Edmonton’s candidature given the city’s location on Treaty Six territory.
Edmonton has successfully hosted a range of FIFA tournaments in the past, including the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship 2002, the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2007, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015. With such experience, the city has shown unwavering commitment throughout the 2026 process.
Upon signature of the final documents, Traci Bednard, CEO of Explore Edmonton, said: “We are more excited than ever by the partnership between FIFA and the City of Edmonton. We have had tremendous experiences in hosting FIFA tournaments in the past, not only in delivering great matches and events, but also in inspiring future generations of soccer players and fans. In 2026, Edmonton will be ready to deliver once again.”
In a recent interview with Inside World Football, Canadian soccer player Alphonso Davies, who grew up in Edmonton, said: “Whenever an international soccer event has come to Edmonton, people have supported the events very well. Edmonton is a beautiful, diverse place, and I have no doubt they will accept the rest of the world exactly how they accepted me and my family when we moved here. Edmonton has some great facilities and there are a lot of things happening in the city, especially in the summer seasons.”
More information of the vision of Edmonton’s plans for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ can be seen via their website here.
Register for Host City Americas, online on 29th June, for free here: https://www.hostcity.com/events/host-city-americas/register -
Shortlist announced for inaugural AIPH World Green City Awards
[Source: AIPH] The International Association of Horticultural Producers, AIPH, is proud to announce the shortlist of eighteen entries from cities around the world for the first edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards. In each of the six Awards Categories, the Technical Panel of Judges selected the three top scoring entries for this prestigious list.
“We are thrilled to be showcasing excellence in city greening from cities around the world,” said Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General. “As we reach this very exciting milestone, AIPH is confident that the first ever AIPH World Green City Awards is a resounding success, leaving a legacy that will shine through in future editions. Congratulations to each and every one of the shortlisted cities. We proudly celebrate this amazing achievement with you.”
The 2022 AIPH World Green City Awards Shortlist of entries per category is proudly announced as follows:
Living Green for Biodiversity
Addressing the loss of species, habitats, ecosystem health, and genetic diversity
Reverdecer Bogotá
Bogota D.C., Colombia
Act Local, Contribute Global to World Biodiversity Conservation
Town of Victoria Park, Australia
Ville de Paris- DEVE
City of Paris, France
Living Green for Climate Change
Tackling the root causes and effects of climate change to build more liveable and resilient cities
Peynircioglu Stream Ecological Restoration Project
City of Izmir, Turkey
Grey to Green
City of Melbourne, Australia
Mexico City’s Environmental and Climate Change Program
Mexico City, Mexico
Living Green for Health and Wellbeing
Addressing the medical, behavioural, and social determinants of health for residents
Transforming degraded land into Urban Micro Parks
City of Fortaleza, Brazil
Utrecht Green and Healthy City
City of Utrecht, Netherlands
Sunvale Community Park
City of Brimbank, Australia
Living Green for Water
Ensuring that water resources are safeguarded and wisely used, with clean water available to all while also protecting residents from flooding risks
The Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden / Space for Life
City of Montreal, Canada
Creating a Green City
Logan City Council, Australia
uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership
City of uMhlathuze, South Africa
Living Green for Social Cohesion
Fostering belonging, trust and inter-generational as well as cross-cultural relationships to prevent exclusion, marginalisation and violence
Socio-urban integration in the midst of an ecological reserve: The case of Rodrigo Bueno
City of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sunchoenman Bay Wetland Conservation Project
Suncheon City, South Korea
OASIS Schoolyard Project
City of Paris, France
Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth
Creating systems and solutions that allow all city residents to overcome economic distress and thrive
The 2020-2030 Master Plan for the Conservation, Improvement and Development of Parc Jean-Drapeau
City of Montreal, Canada
Transformation of “Beltway to Green Belt”
City of Mashhad, Iran
Green Necklace to the State of Telangana
City of Hyderabad, India
“Addressing the multiple challenges cities face”
The shortlist of entries is presented on behalf of the Technical Panel by the six Category Leads to the 2022 Awards Jury who will identify one winner for each category, as well as the overall AIPH World Green City Awards 2022 winner.
“After reviewing the submissions for the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022, I was amazed at not only the commitment to building green cities but the creativity and expression of local culture that was at the core of the submissions,” said Grant Pearsall, Urban Ecological Planner, Edmonton, Canada (Technical Panel member).
In addition to selecting the shortlist, the Technical Panel has made non-category-specific nominations to be considered by the Jury for Highly Commended Awards. These Highly Commended Awards are given to city entries that did not score highly enough to make the shortlist, but which demonstrate a particularly innovative and inspiring approach.
“The spread of very different entries is an indication of the wide range of initiatives, with plants at their heart, that are addressing the multiple challenges cities face due to climate change and the ecological emergency. This initiative by AIPH encourages cities to demonstrate the range of innovative urban nature-based solutions that are possible,” said Marcus Grant, Editor-in-Chief, Cities & Health (Technical Panel Category Lead, Health and Wellbeing).
Each eligible entry was assessed and scored by members of the Technical Panel against the following judging criteria:
• Vision: the initiative should be bold and include a fresh new model for using and/or delivering nature-orientated solution(s).
• Significance: the initiative should be designed to address a serious local problem or set of problems.
• Implementation: the initiative should have achieved or be well on its way to achieving its stated objective(s) and/or desirable outcomes.
• Learning and Transferability: the initiative should have generated some learning content or mechanisms that enable enhanced local practice in the future and/or offer potential for customised replication in other cities.
• Resilience: The initiative should be mindful of its impact on the planet and of its ability to be sustained over time.
“To create a healthy and happy urban life we need to include plants and nature in our cities. The 2022 entries for the AIPH World Green City Awards show that cities are taking action to showcase the value of living green. This is truly an inspiration for many other cities,” said Judith van der Poel, Director, Niek Roozen Landscape (Technical Panel member).
To learn more about the exciting initiatives by the shortlisted cities, click here.
“The AIPH Awards program is an important initiative to recognize outstanding worldwide contributors and projects that are transforming our world into a greener and healthier place,” said Michael von Hausen, President, MVH Urban Planning & Design Inc., Adjunct Prof., Simon Fraser University + University of Vancouver Island (Technical Panel member).
Looking ahead, AIPH will profile city entries as case studies to inspire other cities around the world to take action for plants and nature. AIPH celebrates each and every city entry as a leader in urban greening, and a champion of the green city principles.
All winners will be announced at a gala event in September/October 2022. The date and venue for this event will be announced soon. AIPH and partners will also launch the 2024 edition of the World Green City Awards at this gala event. To stay in the loop and receive further news about the AIPH World Green City Awards direct to your inbox, subscribe to the AIPH Global Green City Update here.
AIPH is grateful to the network of partners for their ongoing support for the AIPH World Green City Awards – Biophilic Cities, Cities & Health, CitiesWithNature, European Federation of Green Roof & Green Wall Associations (EFB), The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF), Greener Spaces Better Places, #NatureForAll, Salzburg Global Seminar, The Nature of Cities (TNoC), Trees for Cities, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Urban Biodiversity Hub (UBHub), Urban Land Institute, World Urban Parks, Youth Climate Leaders, and 8 80 Cities. Thank you also to sponsor Expo 2021 Hatay and media partners Cities Today, FloraCulture International, and Host City.