Host City: How would you describe the main focus of Queensland’s event hosting strategy?

Leanne Coddington: As the Queensland Government’s lead tourism marketing, experience development and major events agency, Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) identifies, attracts, develops and promotes major events that drive visitors to Queensland, contribute to the Queensland economy, raise the profile of Queensland and generate community pride.

The It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar is the platform from which we market events and our goal is to continue to grow the value of the calendar in delivering real economic benefit for the state. In 2019, the calendar is expected to generate $800 million for the state’s economy – having more than doubled in value from $380 million in 2015.

Host City: How does TEQ plan to achieve these ambitious targets?

Leanne Coddington: While the ongoing acquisition of new high-value events will certainly help drive this growth, we also endeavour to continually optimise the outcomes of existing events on the calendar. Working strategically with event owners, rights holders and promoters, TEQ’s focus centres largely on growing the number of visitors from outside of Queensland to events on the calendar. Optimising the event’s own marketing plans and leveraging TEQ’s tourism marketing channels and assets are some methods we employ to do this.

Host City: What does the Queensland calendar of events typically look like?

Leanne Coddington: Queensland’s calendar of events features events of all genres from professional to mass participation sport, to arts and culture, music festivals and business events, across the length and breadth of Queensland, from the Gold Coast and Brisbane in the south east of the state to Townsville and Cairns in the north and the Outback in the west of the state.

The calendar reflects the diversity of Queensland as a tourism destination and is therefore a highly effective form of destination marketing in its own right. Whether it be Wagner’s Ring Cycle strengthening Brisbane’s reputation as a world class arts and cultural hub, the Quiksilver Pro showcasing the Gold Coast’s iconic surf breaks or the Airlie Beach Race Week showcasing the spectacular sailing in the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef, each event is a platform from which we can market our unique tourism experiences and also tells a story about the host destination.

Host City: How is the calendar promoted?

Leanne Coddington: Under the brand It’s Live! in Queensland we can augment the marketing efforts of our event partners, and raise the equity of Queensland as an event destination. Targeting key interstate markets including Sydney and Melbourne and international markets such as New Zealand, It’s Live! in Queensland is promoted across digital, print, television and at each TEQ-supported event.

Host City: Australia has long boasted a strong major event hosting reputation. How does Queensland compete against other Australian event destinations?

Leanne Coddington: Indeed, Australia has a great reputation when it comes to major events. We focus on leveraging our unique competitive advantages, centred around the diversity of event hosting destinations on offer in Queensland. The decentralised nature of Queensland means we have numerous destinations capable of hosting large international events – Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in the south east and Townsville and Cairns in the north of the State have all for example held world championship sports events.

Another competitive advantage is that our natural environment, ideal climate and laidback lifestyle makes hosting outdoor events possible all year round. This factor has certainly helped us carve out a reputation as a world class destination for endurance sport events such as triathlon, marathon and cycling.

And lastly, we are home to iconic tourism destinations and experiences. People love travelling here for an event, particularly participation sporting events and they love bringing family, friends and supporters with them because they can extend their trip and enjoy a holiday pre or post event.

Host City: How important is the broad appeal of the host destination to the success of an event?

Leanne Coddington: Very important. Events must be considered as experiences and a range of ingredients contribute to the delivery of a compelling event experience. While the quality of the event content itself and its delivery is key, perhaps the most important factor in delivering the success of a major event is the appeal of the host destination and how it engages with the event audience to augment the experience.

TEQ works closely with regional tourism organisations and local councils to assist event owners better connect with and promote tourism experiences, dining, entertainment and transportation to optimise the event experience of visitors. We’re also known for our friendly locals and our laid-back, friendly lifestyle is something we portray strongly under our tourism brand “beautiful one day, perfect the next”. We know that if we can optimise the event experience in this way, event visitors are far more likely to leave as advocates and come back again for a future holiday.

Host City: What is most important, attracting visitors from other states and countries into Queensland, or local community benefits?

Leanne Coddington: While TEQ’s strategy recognises the importance of both as ingredients to a successful event which deliver strong returns on investment, ultimately the attraction of visitors from outside Queensland carries the most weight in our event investment metrics. This is because it most closely aligns with the remit of TEQ. However, unless the event has a tangible benefit on the local community, the community is probably going to be less likely to engage with the event in a positive way. An event that is not engaged with the local community is unlikely to deliver a great experience for visiting attendees, therefore community engagement is certainly a consideration.

Host City: What would you say has been the most important impact of hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games for the Gold Coast and Queensland?

Leanne Coddington: The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games delivered many great outcomes for Queensland. For TEQ, the event provided a high-profile platform to showcase Queensland’s tourism experiences to a large international audience. It also showcased the Gold Coast and Queensland’s major event hosting capability and given its success, has provided us with a great reputation to leverage and secure more events into the future.

Host City: How did hosting SportAccord in 2019 help with your sports event strategy?

Leanne Coddington: SportAccord 2019 was a highly strategic event acquisition that was about continuing to build the legacy of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Hosting the key decision makers from International Federations, national sports organisations, the IOC, event promoters and the world’s sports industry media all in Queensland – many for the first time ever – provided the opportunity to showcase our competitive advantages and most importantly build long term relationships that will ultimately result in future high-value events secured for Queensland.

Host City: We are delighted to welcome Tourism and Events Queensland as a Gold Sponsor of Host City 2019. What are your expectations of Host City, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events?

Leanne Coddington: We too are very excited to partner with Host City and look forward to reconnecting with old and establishing new relationships with a range of entities across the conference and exhibition. Host City will provide us a great opportunity to share experiences, thoughts and learnings with industry leaders from around the world, while also showcasing what makes Queensland a great destination for successful major events, whether sporting, cultural or business events.

Leanne Coddington is giving a keynote Destination Showcase address at Host City 2019

As we celebrate our partnership with Host City 2019, we look forward to sharing with those attending the conference our insights into the broader impacts that the public, private and third sectors are seeking, achieving, measuring and communicating from hosting some of the world’s largest and highest profile events.

Through our extensive work with rights holders and hosts, running procurement processes, negotiating optimum commercial deals, leading event bids and advising hosts on how to build a tailored event calendar, we have developed unique insights and carried out in-depth research into how to improve host partnerships that work for all stakeholders. That is to say, partnerships where host, rights holder and all other stakeholders are able to achieve their short and long-term objectives through a well-delivered event.

We have also witnessed first-hand how the major events landscape is changing as rights holders embrace new technologies and consumer trends whilst hosts seek events that speak to wider city and national priorities. This is impacting the way that hosts are evaluating opportunities and measuring impact.

At Host City 2019, we will share more about how we will be building on this insight as we utilise The Sports Consultancy’s extensive network of hosts and rights holders to research current and future trends in event hosting. This research will bring together data in a new way to benefit rights holders and hosts in their future hosting relationships.

Global trends

We have gathered and analysed the data on how global trends are affecting the major events industry. Urbanisation and demographic shifts, ageing populations and increasing inequality are affecting the design and content of cities as governments prioritise inclusion and welfare. Global talent is more mobile, meaning that cities are competing to attract and retain it. Attracting new businesses and inward investment are increasingly important in a competitive and connected international marketplace. Climate change is a growing concern resulting in a rising focus on sustainability, as well as an increased scrutiny on public spending. Technology is also a significant factor in how cities are changing, working towards being ‘smarter’ and demonstrating their innovation credentials.

All of these macro trends are impacting the initiatives that governments choose to invest in and how they seek to use events to benefit their economies and populations. We are seeing a shift in objectives as event investment is less outward focused and gradually more targeted towards providing for existing citizens. This means a reduced focus on tourism and visitation and more of a focus on social impact, community cohesion and building a city with a great quality of life.

However, economic impact is still the primary measure of success in many cases (for the time being at least) as new priorities are not supported by our ability across the industry to measure social impact in a way that can justify substantial public sector expenditure. Developing effective measurement approaches for social and community impacts is a priority for hosts. A number of rights holders have recognised this and are investing in detailed social impact studies of their largest events, along with measuring economic and media impacts. We will share further insights into impact measurement in Glasgow in November.

Consumer behaviour

Further trends specific to the sports and entertainment industries are impacting rights holders. This is affecting the events that they are taking to market and how those events are positioned to engage and entertain the public.

Consumers are following more sports less avidly and sports events compete with an array of leisure and entertainment properties and activities. Digital media is an increasingly popular form of consumption of events, competing even with live attendance. More niche events and sports have a new avenue to market through over-the-top (OTT) coverage. Whilst this may lead to reduced live audiences it provides more opportunities to reach a younger audience. However, content demand is changing and events have to be creative in how they build awareness and generate engagement.

Finding the right hosts

For rights holders, finding the right hosts that understand their ambitions and can enhance their offering as aligned partners, is increasingly important. Rights holders are being more targeted geographically, but are also becoming more open to changing their hosting models to ensure the benefits are there for hosts and to open up their events to new territories and emerging markets. Our host procurement processes are incorporating new approaches to allow flexibility and build the most effective partnerships, while protecting interests on both sides of the hosting relationship.

This is balanced by a need to ensure that premium events are contributing to rights holder finances, particularly for International Federations where flagship events can support the organisation for multiple years. This may need to be accompanied in future with a greater appetite from the rights holder to share risk and, therefore, reward.

We look forward to sharing further insight in the build up to Host City 2019 and offering those attending the conference, unique insights from our work and research, into the ever-evolving relationship between rights holders and host cities and the solutions we are creating and applying for our clients. We also look forward to learning more from hosts and rights holders about their evolving challenges and the solutions they are employing to combat them.

Major events can have an incredibly positive impact on their host cities and citizens. If we are to avoid the lack of public support that can lead to the likes of Calgary and Graz withdrawing their bids for the 2026 Winter Olympics, we must ensure that major events achieve an international reputation for being cost effective, inclusive and having long-term sustainable benefits. We need to work together to engage with all stakeholders, including the general public, so that everyone feels involved.

In my 37 years with CSM Live (in its different guises) I’ve had the pleasure to work with many great organisations and hosts that understand the benefit of branding not only event spaces and fan zones, but entire cities and countries, and the importance of wide public engagement.

London 2012 is a fantastic example of this attitude. They worked to get the public onside right from the start, launching the 2004 / 2005 bid in tandem with a major PR campaign which included events and a city dressing campaign around the whole of the UK. This commitment to bringing the excitement of the Games into the public domain only increased during the actual games, with the aim to ‘Inspire a Generation’. CSM Live took point on both the venue and the city dressing, creating the space branding guidelines, and producing and installing the branding.

To ensure uniform, easily-accessible branding across the country, we created an online catalogue from which local authorities and institutions could order Games Look and Feel elements based on a pre-designed Kit of Parts. In the end, we dressed 33 London Boroughs, 11 Host Cities, 43 Live Sites and communities throughout the UK, with everything from banners and bunting to giant shot putts falling from the sky and over-sized inflatable mascots rising from the ground; we lit up buildings in brand colours; installed branded planting, pavements, transport and transport hubs; and created soundscapes across bridges and light projections in the sky.

Obviously, this approach can be very expensive, but one solution is to find a sponsor or partner with similar goals. The Tour de France Grand Depart found that in Yorkshire Building Society, who were extremely proud to be able to sponsor this iconic event as it travelled through their heartland during their 150^th anniversary celebrations. We worked closely with the event organisers, local councils and Yorkshire Building Society to create activations and branding concepts that helped local people celebrate their proud Yorkshire heritage.

For a perfect example of how a unified and integrated major events policy can positively impact a whole country, just look to the country that’s hosting Host City. I have had the pleasure of working in Scotland many times including both the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games during their amazing 2014 year - the “Big G” logo, which we created for the Games is now a permanent selfie inspiring fixture, and I expect big things as they continue the ‘Scotland the Perfect Stage’ strategy onto 2025.

Hear Andrew Hodson’s “lightning talk” at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events in Glasgow on 26-27 November

[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zwift, a global online training and racing platform for athletes, for the governance and development of cycling esports as a new cycling discipline.

This MoU follows the integration of cycling esports into the UCI Constitution, which was approved by the Federation’s Congress in September 2018 in Innsbruck (Austria). The objective is two-fold: to establish requirements that guarantee the speciality meets the standards of sporting integrity and fairness necessary for all UCI-sanctioned disciplines, and to launch the inaugural UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020, as well as qualification events for these Championships, on the Zwift platform.

The news follows the confirmation of Zwift as Official Supplier to the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire, Great Britain.

As part of the MoU, the UCI and Zwift will collaborate to ensure the sporting credibility of cycling esports events. This will include the establishment of a hardware programme that is reliable enough to be used in events sanctioned by the UCI, a performance verification programme that will validate a rider’s performance and ward against technological fraud, and a rider identification system, including height and weight. Moreover, different formats of racing, for individuals and teams, will be tested. The UCI Regulations will be updated accordingly.

On the sporting side, the UCI will organise the 2020 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships (on the Zwift platform). These will be held on a date and at a venue that are still to be confirmed. The UCI and Zwift have agreed that a maximum of 15 National Championships will be organised in select countries as well as Continental Championships; these competitions, organised on-site or remotely on-line, will act as qualification events for the new UCI Cycling Esports World Championships. The Zwift application will be the only programme used for all these events.

 Following the first edition of the World Championships, the UCI will launch a bidding process to determine the provider with which it will collaborate for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships after 2020.     

UCI President David Lappartient declared: “Cycling esports is a fantastic opportunity for the development of cycling. It is a new way of practising cycling that is expanding rapidly and enables more athletes, whether beginners or more experienced, to train and race regardless of what the weather is like and where they live. The Memorandum of Understanding between our Federation and Zwift is a decisive step towards the total integration of cycling esports by the UCI.”

Zwift’s Esports CEO Craig Edmondson added: “Earlier this year, we stated our ambition to develop an esports platform, but I think it’s much more than that. We are looking to establish a new approach to the sport. This partnership is a significant leap forward in that journey. We are at the very beginning of a long and exciting roadmap here at Zwift as we look to establish a new and innovative cycling discipline.”

About Zwift
Zwift is a fitness company born from gaming, that is dedicated to fitness and experienced in software and video game development. Combining that passion and deep understanding of the fitness world, Zwift is the first company to use massive multiplayer gaming technology to bring the outdoor experience indoors. Athletes from around the globe can train and compete with each other in rich, 3D-generated worlds simply by connecting their existing devices & hardware (e.g. cycle trainers, power meters, treadmills, heart rate monitors, etc) wirelessly via open industry standard ANT+ and BLE. From friendly competition, to racing and structured training programmes, Zwift is building a community of like-minded athletes united in the pursuit of a better social fitness experience.

About the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Founded in 1900, in Paris (France), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms, for all people as a competitive sport, as a healthy recreational activity, as a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the eight cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials and indoor cycling. More information on www.uci.org.

John Langford, COO, AEG Europe

“I’m delighted to be joining the Host City conference in Glasgow this year. This is a great opportunity to share my thoughts on the industry and meet fellow representatives of sports, business and cultural events from across the globe. I look forward to discussing the challenges of hosting major event at our venues as well as discovering new opportunities and learning from industry leaders.

“There are a number of important considerations venue planners should bear in mind to maximise commercial opportunities around entertainment facilities.

“Firstly: know your market. Understanding consumer needs allows venues to match their capabilities with the expectations of customers. Providing a product and service that customers want is the foundation upon which volume and margins can be maximised.

“Secondly: flexibility. Entertainment venues cater for multiple different audiences. Every night, our arenas see a different crowd from the night before. Facilities need to be able to flex from champagne at Andrea Bocelli to burgers and beer at ZZ Top – and everything else you can imagine in between.

“Thirdly: adaptability. Customer expectations change over time, particularly as new generations spend more in the entertainment sector. Flexibility in spaces, premium experiences, food and beverage options, access and add-ons all mean that venues need to adapt quickly to market changes.”

David Tunnicliffe, Commercial Director, GL events UK

“Host City will bring together excellent people for open, frank discussions that will allow us to share experience and best practice. The event combines a formal daytime structure with a more relaxed evening format, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity to network with new and existing contacts.

“Are venue owners fully informed of the opportunities available to them in terms of temporary infrastructure? Yes and no – this really depends on the venue, as well as the culture and approach of its team. General awareness can be an issue; while some venues can be so focused on their permanent USPs, or under so much pressure to deliver prices-per-head, that they overlook the many exciting creative possibilities presented to them by temporary infrastructure.

“Other venues – Hampton Court Palace is an excellent example, frequently innovate; enhancing and adapting their offering with temporary infrastructure and overlay.

“At GL events we’re no stranger to all kinds of requests and the possibilities for venues are endless. We’ve created entire temporary venues to support refurbishment works, as well as creating everything from additional kitchens to ballrooms, reception spaces and exhibitions on behalf of all kinds of venue. Temporary swimming pools, ice-rinks, cinemas… working with venues is a great opportunity for event infrastructure suppliers to showcase their creativity.”

Ken Scott, Head of Inspectorate, Sports Ground Safety Authority

“A pressing concern for organisers is what we call ‘Zone Ex’ – the area outside the stadium that spectators must pass through when arriving or leaving an event. Stadium and event operators can no longer think about the stadium in isolation. When considering safety, the sum of all parts is critical to creating as safe an environment as possible for everyone at the ground.

“We’re looking forward to attending Host City 2019 to discuss this and other safety issues with colleagues from across Europe.”

Cyril De Greve Managing Director, European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA)

“We’re expecting more and more from stadium management today. Besides a range of new threats (terror, drones, cyberattacks, etc.), it is not only delivering a safe and secure event; people are looking for unforgettable experiences. Training staff to deliver these experiences is definitely a challenge, as well as the demand for a more multifunctional use of the venues.

“Our aim at Host City 2019 is to share knowledge, expertise and exchange best practice with all delegates linked to the stadium industry.”

Host City 2019 takes place in Glasgow on 26-27 November, organised with support from EventScotland. For more information visit www.hostcity.com

Host City: IOC president Thomas Bach recently praised your leadership of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), particularly in relation to good governance. How would you describe your leadership priorities in this area?

Marisol Casado: Any self-respecting organization should be judged by its governance policies, its commitment to operational transparency and the way that it is run and operates, both in the long and short-term.

My priorities are to ensure that the entire triathlon family adheres to that commitment and that ITU as an organization serves our athletes and National Federations fairly, openly and justly, so that we can rightfully expect the same consideration from them. It is our duty as a world governing body to set the example.

Thomas Bach was absolutely correct when he said at our recent Congress that you can be 99 per cent solid in how you are run, but if that 1 per cent lets you down, then that is what you will be remembered by. We strive for good governance across the board and have found that as a positive habit and a priority to share and to follow with our members, it is contagious.

Host City: How do you see recent and future progress in the prominence of women in sport and sports administration?

Marisol Casado: This is an ongoing battle, but one that continues to provide new examples of thriving individuals to show we are on the right track and have every reason to be optimistic about the future.

If you look back just 20 years you can see how much progress has been made towards gender equity, even though there is of course still much work to be done. But I am proud to say that our sport can certainly be held up as an example of this effort, where men and women share equal prize money, prominence and every drop of the spotlight.

The fact that Tokyo 2020 will bring us to the brink of gender equality both in terms of the overall athletes and officials’ ratios is testament to the effectiveness of the IOC Agenda 2020.

Host City: As a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris 2024, what are your expectations of these Games?

Marisol Casado: Paris is one of the world’s great cities and will provide the kind of Olympic and Paralympic venues that have an innate wow factor and that, coupled with an expert LOC looking to innovate and engage more than ever, will see it undoubtedly deliver a truly great Games. During our Coordination Commission visit in June we saw first-hand the commitment to a sustainable Games that will bring the people together both for mass-participation events and the legacy projects that will benefit France and the French public for years to come.

Host City: How is the ITU leading the way and innovating to ensure the continued rise in popularity of triathlon – both for participants and fans?

Marisol Casado: ITU seeks out and works with incredible local organising committees (LOCs) all around the world to stage events that are not only able to bring the very best out of the elite athletes but that, in many cases, are also opened up to the public to take part in, through Age-Group races and family events.

This mass participation aspect has always been an integral part of this sport; that it demands a high level of endurance and determination, but that it also manages to not be overly intimidating to those coming new to it.

The fact that we are a relatively young sport also helps and we reflect that as a dynamic, forward-thinking organization working effectively with incredible partners to promote and govern a growing, aspirational sport.

It is also filled with amazing role models. From the World Series to World Cups and beyond, their incredible achievements and the manner of their performances have always brought them closer to the fans and been a source of encouragement to newcomers. That means our development of the TriathlonLIVE streaming platform and huge social media presence can be backed up by not just their big-race performances but honest, revealing interviews and features that really convey their personalities.

We all do what we do for the love of triathlon, so the hard work never feels too much like hard work. I think that is important.

Host City: We are delighted you will be speaking at Host City 2019, with the conference theme “Innovate; Reformulate; Co-create”. What are your expectations of this important gathering?

Marisol Casado: Thank you, I’m very happy to be able to attend and honoured to have been asked to speak at the event. ITU is privileged to have worked with some incredible host cities over the past thirty years as triathlon’s world governing body, delivering iconic race venues all around the world.

Now, with our TriathlonLIVE platform showing more races than ever to ever-growing audiences in tandem with ITU social media channels, those host cities are also able to reach vast new horizons, so I think it is important that these kinds of opportunities are made explicit.

The benefits for cities are rich and varied, from engaging the population in healthy pursuits and the positive association and inspiration of hosting world-class sports, to boosts for tourism, infrastructure and experience. We have seen time and time again that working closely with cities brings enormous mutual benefits and that is the message that I hope will be underpinning the conference.

Marisol Casado is speaking at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, taking place in Glasgow on 26-27 November

[Source: Beijing2022] Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, and Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China and BOCOG Executive President Gou Zhongwen jointly unveiled Bing Dwen Dwen(冰墩墩), the official mascot for the Olympic Winter Games, along with Chinese short track speed skater Wu Dajing and local school student Zhang Jiman.

The jovial panda mascot is an ambassador for winter sports. Bing (冰) is the Chinese character for ice, while Dwen Dwen (墩墩) is a common nickname in China for children that implies healthiness, cuteness, and ingenuousness – characteristics also shared with pandas.

Clothed in a full body suit of ice, a symbol of purity and strength, Bing Dwen Dwen wants to emulate the physical and mental power of Olympians, and to help spread the enduring Olympic spirit. The heart shape in its left palm represents the host country’s hospitality, and the mascot is expected to connect and bring joy to people participating and watching the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 from all over the world.

The coloured halo surrounding its face is suggestive of ice and snow tracks, as well as the flowing “ribbons” on the exterior of the National Speed Skating Oval, one of two new competition venues in the Beijing zone that is expected to become a landmark of the Games.

The dynamic lines of the halo also embody the increased connectivity in the era of 5G communications. Resembling an astronaut, Bing Dwen Dwen stands for Beijing 2022’s embrace of new technologies that will bring about a future with infinite possibilities.

Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and BOCOG President Cai Qi, Governor of Hebei Province and BOCOG Executive President Xu Qin, Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and BOCOG Executive President Zhang Haidi, together with Chinese wheelchair curler Chen Jianxin and local student Wang Ruoyu, introduced Shuey Rhon Rhon to the audience as the official mascot for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

Shuey Rhon Rhon (雪容融) is a Chinese lantern child ready to welcome friends from around the world for a big party. Exuding positivity, the glow emanating from its heart symbolises the inspiring warmth, friendship, courage, and perseverance of Para athletes that light up the dreams of millions every day.

The Chinese lantern is a millennia-old cultural symbol associated with harvest, celebration, prosperity, and brightness. Red is the most auspicious and festive colour in the country, and is all the more fitting given that the Games will coincide with Chinese New Year celebrations in February and March 2022.

The overall design on Shuey Rhon Rhon draws from traditional Chinese papercut art and Ruyi ornaments, and features doves, Beijing’s iconic Temple of Heaven, and snow to symbolise peace, friendship, and good fortune.

Shuey has the same pronunciation as 雪, the Chinese character for snow. The first Rhon (容) in the mascot’s Chinese name means “to include, to tolerate”, while the second Rhon (融) means “to melt, to fuse” and “warm”. The name expresses the hope that there would be more inclusion for people with impairments, and more dialogue and understanding between cultures of the world.

Goodwill ambassadors to welcome the world

Commenting on the new mascots, Chen Jining, Mayor of Beijing and BOCOG Executive President, expressed his hope that the two joyful mascots, unveiled days before the 70th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, would serve as goodwill ambassadors of the Games and send their best wishes to people in all countries.

“The mascots carry the enthusiasm of 1.3 billion Chinese people towards Beijing 2022 and extend our warm invitation to friends throughout the world,” Chen said.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach attended the ceremony and expected the launch of the Olympic mascot to generate even more interest in Beijing 2022, especially among young people.

“The mascot incorporates the best elements and characteristics of China and the Chinese people. What I can say already now is that it will be a wonderful ambassador for China and the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022,” Bach said.

In a recorded video message, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said: “The Paralympic mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon will become the face of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games lighting up the lives of billions around the world who will watch in awe as Para athletes inspire and excite the world.”

Young ice hockey players and figure skaters performed on the ice before the launch of the mascots, while Chinese pop stars and children dressed as pandas and in festive red outfits sang, drummed, and danced for a happy crowd that welcomed Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon with loud cheers and applauses.

Para Ice Hockey players and members of the Paralympic gold-winning Chinese wheelchair curling team also joined dancers from the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe to perform for the audience.

The unveiling of the mascots marks the culmination of a journey that began in August 2018, when BOCOG launched a global design competition for the mascots.

A total of 5,816 submissions were received from 35 countries, and were reviewed by Chinese and international experts in a comprehensive evaluation and selection process. The final Olympic and Paralympic mascots chosen were designed by teams from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and Jilin University of Arts, respectively.

From 2008 to 2022: advancing a legacy

With a vision of “Joyful Rendezvous upon Pure Ice and Snow,” Beijing 2022 is building on the legacies of the landmark Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games and aims to encourage millions of people across China to embrace winter sports.

The two new mascots will serve as spirited symbols of the Games that will take place in the three zones of central Beijing, the capital’s suburban district of Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou in nearby Hebei province.

Beijing 2022 is committed to the mission of delivering truly green and sustainable Games, which will integrate with and boost the region’s long-term economic transformation.

In a ground-breaking move, Beijing 2022’s speed skating venue, figure skating and short track venue as well as ice hockey training venues will use natural CO2 refrigerants in their ice-making systems. Other venues will use refrigerants with a low Global Warming Potential.

Of the 13 competition and non-competition venues in the Beijing zone, 11 will use legacies from Beijing 2008. Solid post-Games utilization plans have also been made for mountain venues in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, which has already become one of the most popular skiing destinations in China.

The Shougang Ice Hockey Arena where the mascot launch ceremony was held is a special and brand-new venue renovated from an old industrial facility. Shougang is one of the largest steel factories in China and shut down production in its Beijing plant before the 2008 Olympic Games for environmental reasons.

Shougang Industrial Park in the west of the city now houses BOCOG’s headquarters and is rapidly transforming into an avant-garde space filled with office buildings, museums, sports venues, and recreational facilities. Beijing 2022’s Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing Big Air venue is also being built in the park, next to a lake and four cooling towers.

The launch of the mascots marks another important step forward for Games preparations, which have been picking up speed in all areas. The first test event, the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, will take place in Yanqing in February 2020.

Host City 2019, the largest meeting of sports, business and cultural events, is delighted to welcome the European Broadcasting Union (EBU – the world’s leading alliance of public service media) and the European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA) as Strategic Partners.

In addition to joining Host City’s Strategic Partnership programme, the EBU is also supporting as Silver Sponsor and exhibitor.

Host City takes place in Glasgow on 26-27^th November, with 300 participants, 30 exhibitors and 50 speakers set to join.

Stefan Kürten, Executive Director Eurovision Sport said: “As the broadcast partner for many of the biggest sport events in Europe, the European Broadcasting Union delighted to be partnering with Host City.

“The conference offers a great and unique opportunity to share knowledge and exchange best practice with the wide range of industry experts involved in staging major events around the globe. In particular, we look forward to steering the debate on digital strategy, partnerships and technology in sport, through a focused workshop featuring experts across the sport broadcast spectrum.”

Stefan Kürten is speaking at Host City 2019 on 26^th November.

Also new to the Strategic Partnership Programme is the European Stadium & Safety Management Association (ESSMA).

Cyril de Greve, Managing Director of ESSMA said: “ESSMA is pleased to take part in Host City 2019 and join the conference as Strategic Partner, while co-producing a workshop. Our aim is to share knowledge, expertise and exchanging best practice with all delegates linked to the stadium industry.”

The Host City Strategic Partner Programme brings together the world’s leading associations representing stakeholders in major sports, business and cultural events. The EBU and ESSMA join the International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) and the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) as Strategic Partners to support the development of Host City.

Strategic partners have opportunities to:

• co-produce the event agenda
• enlist new members
• increase access to the event for all stakeholders in major events
• consolidate the major event hosting community around this unique focal point
• run AGMs / other member meetings in venue space provided by Host City
• run a workshop

The EBU workshop on 27^th November will involve presentations followed by Q&A and discussion, on the themes of “How to build a better digital strategy through partnerships” and “Technology to reduce the footprint of major events”.

The EBU workshop will be chaired by a Eurovision Sport Representative, with invited speakers representing a member broadcaster, a city, a federation, Eurovision Services and technical partners.

Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director of Host City said: “The success of the Strategic Partnership programme is great news for the Host City community. We are delighted to welcome  the world leading organisations EBU and ESSMA to join IAEH, AGES and ESA in building this unique platform for all stakeholders in staging the world’s greatest events.

“We are particularly grateful to the EBU for their further support as Silver Sponsors.”

About Host City

Host City Conference & Exhibition brings together cities and sports, business and cultural events for two full days of unrivalled insight, networking, workshops and business on 26-27 November at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow.

This is where representatives of host destinations, federations and other rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world meet to discover opportunities and discuss the challenges of major event hosting. Participants are encouraged to use Host City as a platform to develop, workshop and announce new events, partnerships and formats.

www.hostcity.com

About the EBU

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media (PSM). They have 116 member organizations in 56 countries and have an additional 34 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. Their Members operate over 2,000 television, radio and online channels and services, and offer a wealth of content across other platforms. Together they reach an audience of more than one billion people around the world, broadcasting in more than 160 languages. The EBU operates Eurovision and Euroradio services.

www.ebu.ch

About ESSMA

ESSMA, the European Stadium & Safety Management Association, offers a platform to stadium professionals where they can share, learn and discuss topics related to ESSMA’s areas of expertise: Development & Construction, Operations & Ticketing, Sustainability & SMART, Safety & Security, Fan Experience & Hospitality and Pitch Management. ESSMA was founded in 1996 by former president Lionel Dreksler.

ESSMA is built around 3 pillars: Business Intelligence, Events and Strategic Support.

www.essma.eu

At the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly in Rwanda, the CGF launched Transformation 2022 Refresh, showcased the organisation’s rebrand as Commonwealth Sport and re-elected President Louise Martin DBE for a second four-year term.

Transformation 2022 is the Commonwealth Sport Movement's Strategic Plan from 2015-2022. Refresh refers to the current period from 2019-2022 following the first four-year phase.

The plan follows detailed member consultation as part of the CGF’s Regional Meeting Programme which commenced following the conclusion of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The refresh commits the movement to focusing on delivering inspirational sporting moments, nurturing a powerful sporting movement and activating transformational partnership.

It also establishes a new strategic priority focusing on the Movement’s ambition to ‘Realise Collective Impact’ - focused on athletes and sport for social change – a defining differentiator for the Commonwealth Sport Movement.

This aims to empower and equip athletes as agents of change and advocates for integrity; provide support and opportunities for CGAs; contribute to truth, reconciliation and relief programmes and strengthen the contribution of sport in Commonwealth Cities.

This new strategic priority also includes the future formation of the Commonwealth Sport Foundation.

Commonwealth Sport

The “Commonwealth Sport” brand was developed in close consultation with the 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs).

It reflects a bold, forward looking approach that underpins the CGF’s values of Humanity, Equality and Destiny, the collective work of the six regions and the vision of the Movement.

It is a brand for the entire movement, created by RBL agency in the UK, and replaces the more internally-focused corporate identity, launched back in 2000.

CGF CEO David Grevemberg CBE said: “There really is no better place than Rwanda to strengthen and position Commonwealth Sport as a progressive leader in sport and social change, harnessing the power of sport as a catalyst to unleash our human potential and positively transform lives.

“The Transformation 2022 Refresh will ensure the Commonwealth Sports Movement is in the best possible position to capitalise on the opportunities and mitigate possible risks that lie ahead in a rapidly changing world.  

“It is an important time to galvanise and drive the positive impact of sport on society which is why we have updated and launched an exciting new Commonwealth Sport Brand to keep pace with our ambition.

“This means we aren't just unveiling a new logo and emblem but actually linking our narrative, positioning and meaning. It is about putting the emphasis back on our vision, our values and our athletes.”

President Louise Martin re-elected

Dame Louise Martin DBE was re-elected by delegates at the General Assembly four years after she took up the role in 2015, when she became the first female to hold this office.

She said: “Looking back over the last quadrennial, I am overwhelmed by a sense of pride from our collective achievements, at the endeavours of Commonwealth athletes, at the success of our flagship events and how we have adapted and responded to challenges as well as harnessed opportunities.

“Like all families, we are defined by people, how we treat and respect each other and how we work together.

“Let’s continue to deliver on the strategy outlined in the Transformation 2022 Refresh and enjoy this journey as through sport, we build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth.”

The General Assembly took place at the flagship Kigali Convention Centre with the event marking the ten-year anniversary of Rwanda joining the list of Commonwealth nations in 2009.

It was staged a year before the country hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2020 with Commonwealth Secretary General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC in attendance where she delivered a formal address to the Assembly.

Rwanda is the newest member of the Commonwealth and the second country (as well as Mozambique) in the Commonwealth without historic UK ties.

Dame Louise Martin DBE is speaking at Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events