As a lively and future-oriented association, the Union is adapting to new realities and is open to new opportunities for developing its network. What are some of the changes that have been initiated by the Union?  

First, the Union has never been so strong and its members so numerous. The association is flourishing and the exceptional participation in last year’s event in Paris allows us to consider the present with motivation and the future with confidence.
And because the foundations are healthy, the missions clearly defined, and the initial objectives achieved, the timing is appropriate to become open to more membership opportunities and broaden our horizons.
The 2023 General Assembly voted for the creation of a new category of Members: Affiliate Members, which allows Olympic legacy stakeholders that implement and manage both the tangible (venues, equipment, etc.) and intangible (initiatives and programmes, games staff and volunteer’ communities, cultural and educational programmes, brand elements, etc.) Olympic Games legacy in their territories and have this role recognised by the IOC to join the Union with a specific status.
We are excited to open the Union’s doors to all Olympic legacy stakeholders interested in joining and participating in the association.

What kind of assets does this opening of the Union bring to the association and its Members?   

We are preserving the heart of our association while increasing opportunities for synergies on the subject that unites us: bringing the Olympic legacy to life for the benefit of our cities and our residents.
Legacy management requires efforts from all stakeholders, goodwill and the motivation to build upon the adventure of hosting the Games from a long-term perspective. Multi-actor governance is key to successfully implementing an impactful and meaningful legacy. More actors means more experience, knowledge and opportunities to share good practices, more cases to be inspired from, more collaborations, and a stronger network.
Going forward, the Union will be a more inclusive platform that values the content shared by and to all relevant stakeholders.
As we have seen in recent years, legacy activation initiatives are very often multi-stakeholder projects. For instance, celebrations of Olympic anniversaries imply collaboration between Olympic cities, NOCs, the IOC, Olympic legacy entities, Olympic venues, etc. The governance of Olympic legacy is often shared among various actors and the Union offers a platform and events that will create opportunities to meet and share as well as generate more synergies from the diversity imparted by this group of actors.

In which respect is legacy – when activated – an engine for change that benefits the population?  

Activating and celebrating legacy is not an end in itself; it is leverage for action in sport-related policies such as health, education, social inclusion, gender equality, tourism, economic development, urban planning, and many more, that benefits the population. The possibilities are endless, and sport and Olympic values are a vehicle for a common language that Olympic Cities and Olympic legacy stakeholders share!
Looking both backwards and forwards are two complementary perspectives. We all know that working on legacy does not simply mean looking to the past. Legacy necessitates the use of this unique past as an asset and an opportunity for our cities. Moreover, as legacy is now also an essential component of any Olympic project and must be fully integrated into the Host City vision ahead of the event, it is instrumental in shaping the future of cities. In alignment with this evolution, we are now increasingly welcoming future Olympic Cities. Dakar, host of the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games, joined the Union in 2019. Brisbane, host of the 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, joined the Union in 2022. Stay tuned for announcements as other Cities have expressed interest in joining the Union! Anticipation is key for the preparation of meaningful legacy and the interest of future hosts in joining the Union confirms the attractiveness of our association and the relevance of its mission.
We can’t wait to welcome new Olympic Host CIties as Active Members and Olympic legacy stakeholders as Affiliate Members of the Union!