— Published on October 19, 2025

“Sports and technology can shape urban life, and Seoul is a living example of this.”

Events Focus

Seoul is hosting the Smartcities & Sport Summit for the first time ever, from October 20 to 22. This edition will focus on technology, eSports and artificial intelligence., themes that are now essential within the sports movement. Presentation of the event with Mélanie Duparc, Director of Smartcities & Sport and Secretary General of the World Union of Olympic Cities.

This is the 12th edition of the Summit. What is your view on the development of this event?

We launched the smartcities & sport summit network in 2014, with the aim of opening this space to all cities, whether Olympic or not, based on a shared conviction that sport can be a formidable lever for urban transformation, acting in areas as diverse as urban planning, tourism, health, inclusion, gender equality, and economic development. After three initial editions organized in Lausanne (2014–2016), the smartcities & sport summit has moved to emblematic cities: Montreal in 2017, Tokyo in 2019, Copenhagen in 2021, Paris in 2023, and this year Seoul. Over the years, the summit has established itself as an essential event for cities offering a space for meeting, exchange, and collaboration around the strategic role of sport in urban policies, and I am delighted about that!

This year, the Summit is taking place in Korea for the first time, and outside of Europe for the first time since 2019. Is this significant?

Absolutely. The last edition outside Europe was before the pandemic, in 2019, in Tokyo. Since then, despite the health crisis, we have managed to maintain the connection with online editions in 2020, then in Copenhagen in 2021, and Paris in 2023, which was a natural fit before the Olympic Games. Organizing the summit in Seoul is a fantastic opportunity to open the event to a wider, more diverse audience and to make it accessible to different regions. It is also an opportunity to address the theme of technology and sport, a particularly relevant topic in this dynamic and innovative region!

How many participants are expected in Seoul?

Today, there are nearly 300 registered participants and around forty cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Dakar, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Paris, Beijing, Salt Lake City, and Rio de Janeiro. Several Korean cities are also present, such as Seoul, Jeongseon, Gangneung, and PyeongChang. This diversity enriches the discussions, which will be led by panelists from a variety of backgrounds. Academics, gamers, urban planners, and athletes will contribute to the various sessions and discussions at the 2025 summit.

Why did you choose “Technology & Sport: the e-volution” as the theme?

Sport and technology are two rapidly transforming fields, and their convergence opens up unprecedented perspectives. This theme explores how technological innovations are transforming sports practice, event organization, and citizen engagement. Esports are experiencing remarkable growth, while artificial intelligence is establishing itself as a true revolution, affecting all aspects of sport: from infrastructure to performance, including health and governance. This theme also reflects our desire to place the summit at the heart of contemporary and future issues, in connection with the dynamics of smart and connected cities. Ultimately, this choice was an obvious one given the host city. Seoul is a living example of how sport and technology can shape urban life in many ways.

Can you tell us more about the smartcities & sport award, which will be presented for the second time?

We initiated this award last year with the aim of rewarding an innovative project already implemented, having demonstrated a concrete and positive impact for cities through sport. This award highlights exemplary initiatives that illustrate how sport can be a driver of urban transformation. In 2024, the City of Paris received it for its commitment and actions carried out within the framework of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. All the information as well as the winner(s) will be revealed at the summit!

Are you already starting to plan the organization of the next editions?

Traditionally, the summit takes place every other year abroad and every other year in Lausanne, the Olympic capital. This allows us to be close to the international sports ecosystem and the IOC and to strengthen ties between cities and international sports federations. But we are already preparing for the next stage; we will open applications this year for the 2027 summit! With the ambition of continuing the geographical rotation and allowing as many people as possible to participate.

You have just announced that you will not be running again after 12 years as Secretary General of Olympic Cities and Director of Smartcities & Sport. Why?

These twelve years have been both a magnificent and deeply enriching experience. I have had the pleasure of contributing to the development of the Union, which today brings together more than 50 cities and more than twenty organizations committed to maintaining and developing the Olympic legacy, alongside the National Olympic Committees of the host countries of the Games. This unique platform allows the various partners to meet, exchange ideas, and coordinate their actions in order to extend the positive impact of the Olympic Games over the long term. This strengthening of our network has been made possible thanks to the support and active participation of the IOC, whom I would like to thank most sincerely. After three terms, it seems natural for me to pass the baton, in order to bring new impetus to the association and allow it to continue its evolution.