Welcome to the third edition of the regular ESWAM eMagazine!

When we look at ESWAM today, it’s clear the alliance has quietly crossed a threshold. What started as a bold European idea is now growing into something more mature: a living network where cities learn fast, share openly and increasingly act together. Several cities have renewed their involvement and remain loyal to ESWAM. Proof that this isn’t a one-off concept, but an alliance cities want to build with. And the circle keeps expanding, with new cities like Copenhagen, Sliema and Utrecht joining the conversation and around 10 cities are currently in dialogue with us about joining the ESWAM.

This edition captures that momentum through stories that feel both practical and energizing. In Copenhagen, Thomas Bach frames sport not as a separate policy corner, but as a city strategy. It's movement designed into dense urban reality, backed by data and cross-sector collaboration. In Tallinn, the ambition is equally concrete: treat movement as civic infrastructure, streamline governance, test quickly and keep building towards the goal of becoming Europe’s most active city in 2035.

We also explore how cities can turn “empty” into “alive.” From Manchester’s Dirt Factory to Copenhagen’s Tunnelarena, the message is simple and powerful: meanwhile use isn’t a placeholder for real development, it is a form of development (socially, economically and culturally) when it’s designed with intent. And sometimes the smartest interventions are disarmingly simple. The “fitness stairs” story shows how a staircase can become a ritual, a micro-challenge and a public invitation. Copenhagen adds that playful red-button timing moment that turns effort into a visible personal win.