Brisbane Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, has announced he will head to Switzerland in November to meet with global Olympic city leaders.
Along with attending the World Union of Olympic Cities meeting, Lord Mayor Schrinner will meet with international sporting federation representatives at the Smart Cities & Sport Summit.
The events are being held in conjunction from 11-13 November in Lausanne, Switzerland, the home of the International Olympic Committee.
“Hosting the world’s biggest sporting event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get all levels of government working together on a common goal of preparing Brisbane for the Games and beyond,” he said.
“To make the most of this incredible opportunity, it’s vital we engage with other host cities and learn from them what worked and what didn’t.
“I’m keen to talk to other leaders of host cities about how they tackled transport challenges, and which investments and projects have helped deliver a legacy that continues to benefit residents.
“I’m also eager to talk to sporting bodies about how we utilise the venues we have to ensure Brisbane becomes the sporting and event capital of Australia, which will deliver a massive dividend for our local economy.”
The World Union of Olympic Cities is the only association in the world to unite former and future host cities to share learnings and legacies of the Games.
Cities expected to be represented at the meeting and the summit include Barcelona, Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles and Seoul.
Exploring ways to ensure Brisbane leverages the Games hosting opportunity to deliver a transport legacy that benefits all residents for the next generation will be the central focus of the trip, the Lord Mayor said.
“The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games aren’t just about a few weeks of world-class sport right here in Brisbane.”
“They’re a catalyst for delivering a legacy that benefits all Brisbane residents for the next generation to come,” he said.
The Council has released a Games transport blueprint, The Race to Gold to complement its 2032 hosting duties.
The plan outlines 18 key initiatives to better-connect sporting venues and help keep Brisbane moving now, during the Games and beyond.
The central initiative within the plan is a proposal to expand the Brisbane Metro bus rapid transit network to 22 new stations in Brisbane’s north, south, east and the airport.
During the trip, the Lord Mayor will also inspect the Bellach headquarters of HESS, the company delivering the fully-electric Brisbane Metro vehicles.
The 2024 annual meeting of the World Union of Olympic Cities will take place on 11 November.
The annual Smart Cities and Sport Summit will commence on 12 November 2024 and feature two days of workshops, bringing together more than 300 participants from around the world to learn and share strategies to boost cities, regions and countries’ connection to sport.
The cost of the Lord Mayor’s overseas visit, plus one accompanying staff member, is budgeted for up to $14,520 each.
