Promoting Active Cities Throughout Europe

Cities and municipalities are both important settings of physical activity and crucial mediators of public health messaging. Unfortunately, physical activity at local level has been largely under-researched although they represent a level of administration which is closer to citizens that the national one. Cities are gradually recognising the importance of physical activity for their attractiveness and competitiveness, and for providing well-being to their citizens. The PACTE project provided local administrations with resources and tools to kickstart physical activity action plans and help them find the path to become Active Cities, most notably the Matrix for Change.While doubt lingers over our abilities and decisions to act today, one thing remain certain – our bodies are designed to move, our cities should be too. While some governments are still hesitating between encouraging and prohibiting forms of organised physical activity, the PACTE project puts forward several key ideas extracted from its 3-year reflection. The work brought forward by the PACTE consortium started well before the sanitary crisis: the latter has, however, underlined its relevance. The PACTE project is part of and subscribed to the fundamental framework of physical activity promotion set by the European Commission's institutional approach. Furthermore, PACTE inscribed itself in the continuity of the PASS project. The three-year EU-funded PACTE project sought to create a political and strategic proposal to promote PA. To do so, the first phase of the project consisted in research, as evidence-based facts are necessary to get decision-makers’ attention. This research phase gathered and unearthed broad insight into inactivity’s grip over Europe, yet also into the overarching benefits of regular PA. Three key figures stand out: -210 million Europeans are physically inactive, -Which costs the EU28 €80 billion per year (accounting for mood and anxiety disorders, and major non-communicable diseases)-Roughly 80% of local decision-makers are unaware of the figures and the situation in general. With 75% of Europeans living in cities, PACTE equally defined urban areas and cities as key to reversing the inactivity tide. In addition, thorough investigation regarding municipality-level PA practices and policies have virtually been ignored until present, thus enhancing the potential for change. In this way, PASS laid out the founding stones for the PACTE project’s rationale.Throughout the project, 7 transational meetings and 4 Multiplier sports events (+ the final conference) were organised either physically or online. At the end of the 3 years, the project consortium delivered 10 Intellectual Output. Sport and Citizenship coordinated the project activities and engaged skill-full managers and leaders in providing experiences in project management and to project partners. The Partners have given their commitment to contribute to the project activities and outcomes. Communication was oral (phone, Teams, Zoom) or written (e-mails, letters), face to face or virtual (kick off meeting, 7 project meetings and Multiplier events), one-on-one or in groups. The ability to communicate was essential to the success of the working procedure, project activities and an important factor in the achievement of its objectives. Communication didn`t just happen. It was organized, developed, and built. A good communications strategy allowed us to have better control over our work and to frame the issues in a perspective. Regular communications removed doubt and involved all the project partners in raising the visibility of the project.