The organisation hopes Gaborone can become Africa’s first certified Global Active City during the 2027 TAFISA World Congress.
BONGANI MALUNGA
Gaborone could become Africa’s first certified Global Active City in 2027, with the Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA) hoping to announce the milestone during its World Congress in Botswana. The ambition centres on making physical activity part of everyday life and leaving a legacy beyond the congress.
CITY STRATEGY
TAFISA secretary general and Active City Trainer Jean-Francois Laurent outlined the target during workshops and stakeholder engagements in Botswana from 11 to 15 October. An 11 member delegation of TAFISA board members explored ways of developing a sustainable Active City strategy for Gaborone.
“Active City will be a legacy project of TAFISA World Congress 2027 and together we are working on putting the building stones together for an Active City strategy of the city of Gaborone. An Active City strategy that will inspire more citizens to be active during the everyday life. At school, at the workplace, in public spaces, but also through transport. It is a vision for the city, for the residents of Gaborone and together we have one ambition, one challenge to make Gaborone the first global ActiveCity that is certified in Africa. And this is something we hope to be able to announce next year during the TAFISA World Congress,” Laurent said.
PILOT CITY
Gaborone was identified as one of the Global Active City programme’s original pilot cities in 2017. The latest effort could therefore fulfil an ambition that predates the forthcoming congress.
Certification is not automatic: the Active Well-being Initiative requires cities to develop coordinated physical activity strategies, demonstrate implementation and undergo independent audits. Its published network still lists Gaborone as a pilot city, with no African city currently appearing on the certified list.
AFRICAN RETURN
The Botswana National Sport Commission will host the 2027 TAFISA World Congress. The event will bring the global Sport for All movement back to Africa for the first time since Cape Town hosted it in 2001.
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