At first glance, Sliema looks like the perfect Mediterranean escape. Sunshine, historic streets, lively waterfronts and the endless blue of the sea. But look beyond the postcard and something far more interesting emerges. This compact Maltese town is confronting one of Europe's biggest urban challenges: how do we create space for sport, physical activity and wellbeing when cities are becoming increasingly crowded? From 5 to 7 October 2026, the European Sports and Wellbeing Alliance for Municipalities (ESWAM) brought together representatives from European cities to discover how a small coastal community can inspire a much bigger conversation about the future of our urban environments.
Across Europe, cities are growing, land is becoming increasingly valuable and competition for space is intensifying. Housing, mobility, commercial development, green spaces and sports facilities are all competing for the same limited square metres. Too often, sport and recreation are pushed towards the outskirts of cities, while opportunities for everyday physical activity become disconnected from where people live and work. Yet the need for active, healthy and socially connected communities has never been greater. Sliema offers an interesting perspective on this dilemma. Rather than looking at the city through the traditional lens of separate functions, it invites us to explore how existing spaces, infrastructure and natural surroundings can serve multiple purposes.
Perhaps the most striking example is football above a shopping centre. At Tigné Point, the Sliema Wanderers project demonstrates how commercial development and sports infrastructure can coexist within the same urban footprint. Through an approach that allows sports clubs to develop parts of their property commercially, the traditional relationship between sport and real estate is being reconsidered. But Sliema's story extends far beyond rooftops. Along its coastline, the Mediterranean Sea becomes an enormous natural playground, offering opportunities for swimming, water sports and recreation. The seafront promenade functions as an outdoor meeting place where walking, running, social interaction and relaxation become part of everyday urban life. Sometimes, creating a healthier city does not require another expensive building. It requires a different perspective on the spaces already available.
This was precisely why ESWAM travelled to Malta. At the invitation of the Sliema Local Council, a delegation of 19 participants representing ESWAM and municipalities and sports organisations from Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands came together to explore the relationship between sport, wellbeing and urban development. Representatives from Mechelen, Genk, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Dublin, Fingal, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and Waterford brought their own professional experiences, questions and ambitions. Some were particularly interested in accessible open water and the opportunities offered by coastal environments. Others focused on innovative sports facilities, financial sustainability, public space, community participation or the relationship between local government and sports organisations. Different cities, different responsibilities, but remarkably similar challenges.
The diversity of the delegation was an essential part of the experience. For Rotterdam, the growing demand for space for sport and the accessibility of natural water are increasingly important issues. In Waterford, attention is shifting towards activating existing outdoor environments, including coastlines, rivers and walking routes. Dublin is exploring how sport and recreation can remain accessible within increasingly dense urban settings. Genk is looking for innovative ways to connect infrastructure, clubs and participation, while Utrecht is interested in new partnerships and creative business models for urban space. These perspectives demonstrate why international exchange matters. No single city has all the answers, but every city has experiences that others can learn from.
The programme deliberately moved beyond conventional conference rooms. Participants explored Sliema on foot, discovering how play can be encouraged in public spaces, how the sea supports physical activity and how rooftop sports facilities challenge traditional urban planning. Conversations with local representatives provided insight into the opportunities and complexities of developing sport and wellbeing on an island. Visits to Malta's national sports infrastructure, including the National Pool Complex, Ta' Qali National Stadium and the Malta Basketball Association, added another dimension by connecting local urban challenges with national investment and sports development. Morning runs and opportunities to swim at Exiles Beach brought the discussions to life. After all, there is a difference between talking about an active city and actually experiencing one. <Cite ref="turn334872search0"/>
Yet perhaps the most valuable aspect of the visit was not the infrastructure itself, but the openness of the conversations. European cities frequently share their success stories at conferences, presenting ambitious strategies, impressive investments and carefully selected results. In Sliema, the ambition was to go further. What happens when plans encounter regulations, financial limitations or competing interests? How do municipalities make difficult choices? Which ideas have worked, which have not, and what remains unresolved? Real inspiration does not come exclusively from polished success stories. It also emerges when people are willing to discuss uncertainty, acknowledge limitations and challenge established ways of thinking.
Two words capture much of the spirit of our experience: OPEN and DARE. OPEN represents the willingness to share experiences honestly, including the difficult questions and the answers that have yet to be found. DARE represents the courage to challenge conventions, persevere and turn ideas into action. These principles are particularly relevant in a European urban landscape where regulations, financial pressures and institutional structures can sometimes become reasons not to act. Sliema reminded us that meaningful improvements do not always require extraordinary resources. Providing practical access to the sea through steps and entry points, for example, can transform the relationship between a city and its natural environment. Small interventions can create significant opportunities when they respond to how people actually want to live and move.
Sliema should not be viewed in isolation. Malta's urban environment is highly interconnected, with neighbouring localities forming a larger metropolitan reality. This makes the lessons relevant far beyond the boundaries of one municipality. Questions about density, mobility, public space and access to sport do not stop at administrative borders. Neither should the solutions. What happens in Sliema can inspire conversations in Rotterdam, Dublin, Genk or Utrecht, even when the physical, political and cultural circumstances are very different. The objective is not to copy Malta's solutions, but to understand the thinking behind them and translate that knowledge into new possibilities elsewhere.
For ESWAM, this is the essence of bringing European cities together. We believe that meaningful progress begins with curiosity, grows through genuine connections and becomes valuable when inspiration leads to action. Our visits are not simply about discovering interesting projects. They are about connecting people who face similar challenges, creating an environment where they can learn from one another and encouraging them to look differently at their own cities. The Sliema experience demonstrated that valuable knowledge can be found in unexpected places, and that some of the most powerful ideas emerge when different perspectives meet.
This special edition of the ESWAM eMagazine takes you beyond the Mediterranean scenery and into the ideas, projects, discussions and lessons that shaped our visit. From sports facilities above commercial developments to the possibilities of an accessible coastline, we explore how urban environments can become more active, inclusive and connected. We also examine the choices, challenges and ambitions behind these developments. Because the real question is not whether European cities have enough space to support healthier communities. It is whether we are prepared to rethink how we use the space we already have. Sliema may be small, but the questions it raises are anything but.
Arno Hermans Marcel de Visser
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