The city of Annecy, applicant city for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, has officially signed and joined the World Union of Olympic Cities (UMVO) as an associate member. The UMVO is delighted to now have all three applicant cities for the 2018 Games as members of the Union. Munich is an active member of the Union as they have already hosted the Summer Games in 1972 and PyeongChang has already joined as an associate member.

The hosts of the XXV Olympiad, Barcelona, have officially signed and joined the World Union of Olympic Cities (UMVO) as an active member. The 1992 Olympic Games served as a catalyst in putting Barcelona on the map as a major tourist destination, highlighting the power of the Games. The UMVO is delighted to have Barcelona strengthen its membership base.

Lausanne, 21st November 2009 - The summit meeting of the World Union of Olympic Cities (WUOC) closed in Lausanne on 21st November 2009. The 18 Olympic member cities confirmed their keen interest in this association with the decision to step up activities by holding two summits a year in the years when there are no Olympic Games, and to alternate venues with other cities. The next summit is to be held in Beijing in 2010.

Lausanne, November 10, 2009 – The Mayor of the latest Olympic City to be elected, Mayor M. Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro, will be in the Olympic Capital to attend the Lausanne Summit, November 19 – 21.

Lausanne, November 10, 2009 - The City of Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, has announced that Mr. Jonathan Edwards, athlete representative on the London 2012 Organising Committee and Chair of the Nations and Regions Group for the UK will be giving a keynote speech at the Lausanne Summit, to be held on November 19-21.

Lausanne, October 20, 2009 - Following the successful 1st summit of the World Union of Olympic Cities (WUOC) in 2008 (100 participants representing 40 cities), Lausanne is about to host the 2nd edition from 19 to 21November. This meeting will provide a platform for sharing the knowledge and experience specific to cities having organised Olympic Games or other major international sports events. The Union will also welcome its new members and hold its General Assembly.

The cities of Munich and Sochi have officially joined the World Union of Olympic Cities (UMVO), joining the likes of Los Angeles, London and Beijing.

This elite group is expanding rapidly and its membership is now made up of close to 40% of Olympic Cities. Cities who qualify to be an active member of the UMVO, have either hosted the Olympic Games in the past or who have won the right to host one of the upcoming editions of the Games.

Following the successful ‘Lausanne Summit’ held in October 2008, the World Union of Olympic Cities has been actively growing with new members coming on board.

From 9-11 October, Olympic Cities gathered in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, for the inaugural Lausanne Summit 2008. The programme consisted of world class speakers, and the first General Assembly for the World Union of Olympic Cities, (UMVO – Union Mondiale des Villes Olympiques).

The programme for the Lausanne Summit is now available.

You can download it here.