Monday, December 13, Dubai – The Netherlands Sports Week organized by Orange Sports Forum in collaboration with Sport innovator and the Netherlands’ Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity will take place from 13th to 15th December at the Netherlands Pavilion.
During the Netherlands Sports Week, the Dutch sports sector will be presented with seminars and demonstrations to a wider international audience. The seminars offer an excellent opportunity for organizations in the field of ‘sports & vitality’ to meet relevant stakeholders, exchange knowledge and expand networks. The Netherlands’ delegation consists of more than 25 leading companies and government organizations related to sports that includes AFC Ajax, Wageningen University & Research, Philips, and many more.
The three-day program of the NL Sports Week at the pavilion will also include business meetings, matchmaking, seminars, demonstrations/ clinics, workshops and company visits. The Netherlands Pavilion will also feature several Dutch products and sustainable, circular innovations.
The event is open to all sports fans and organizations. Registration is free on Registration. – Orange Sports Forum. For those who cannot make it to the physical event, the seminars will be live-streamed on the pavilion’s virtual platform, Dutch Dubai.
Speakers at the NL Sports Week
On Wednesday, Dec 15th, prominent female speakers from the Netherlands and UAE will speak about the importance of sports for girls and women, with a focus on empowerment and leadership, powered by the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity. Amongst the speakers, Mariam Rashed Al Mansoori, Board Member of the Fatima Bint Mubarak World Sports Award and Board Member of the International Conference of Sports for Women, Abeer al Khaja, Head of Marketing & Communications Dubai Sports Council and Jacqueline Kronenburg, Knowledge Centre
During other seminars in the week, Sonny Silooy, Technical Director, AFC Ajax Coaching Academy at Sharjah Football Council will elaborate on how they maintain good conditions in the youth academy. Researcher Monique Simons from Wageningen University will discuss about gamification and a full-body VR-game demonstration of Active E-sports Arena will be given by Peter Kortenhoeven.
The ‘Sportinnovator Live show’ will be an interesting conversational segment on Sustainability, Circularity and Sports. Merit Clocquet from Sportinnovator, will provide an insight into the Dutch sports innovation ecosystem. Guests from Hydraloop,, Grootgroener- WeedAway and Recreational System International- Grass2Grass will show their latest groundbreaking and sustainable innovations to the world. Together with Jessica Smith, Former Paralympic Sporter from Australia team, these innovations will be discussed in relation to the Gulf-region and Australia.
The Netherlands Pavilion – a platform for connection
H.E. Carel Richter, Commissioner General for the pavilion says : “The Netherlands is a multifaceted country in terms of sports, whether it is team sports like soccer, field hockey or individual ones like cycling, tennis or ice skating. It is always very impressive to see what our athletes are able to achieve. Like other nations, even in the UAE, there is a lot of priority given to lifestyle, sports, exercising and maintaining healthy balance. The Netherlands Sports Week at the pavilion will include interesting subjects like how sports and physical activities are important in the lives of Women, e-sports, gamification. Our pavilion is a platform for connecting like-minded sports enthusiasts.”
About the Netherlands Pavilion
The Netherlands Pavilion, located at the Sustainability District at Expo 2020 Dubai, is open to visitors starting from 1st October 2021 until 31st March 2022. The pavilion has a giant green food cone known as the ‘Biotope’ as the centre of attraction. The 18m vertical farm is covered with 9300 edible plants and irrigated with the harvested water from the air (approx. 1200 litres daily) using innovative Dutch technologies. With these high-tech advancements and more in offering, the pavilion aims to be a true platform for sustainability and circularity initiatives thereby, enabling visitors to experience the Netherlands’ expertise in uniting water, energy and food. Dutch businesses, knowledge institutions and civil society organisations have specific knowledge and proficiency in these fields and can therefore, play a key role in finding solutions that contribute to a more sustainable planet. Possessing a naturally controlled climate, the pavilion’s structure is constructed using locally sourced materials that will be recycled after Expo period, minimizing its ecological footprint.
For more information, visit: www.dutchdubai.com.
About Orange Sports Forum
OSF is a platform for the international promotion of companies, organizations and institutions that have a connection with Dutch sport. It involves ‘hardware’ (infrastructure, accommodation, financing and advice) and ‘software’ (training, coaching, nutrition, education, sports marketing). One of OSF’s most important roles is to identify opportunities in and for other countries and to provide a platform that allows Dutch companies, organizations and institutes to come into contact with parties from foreign countries. OSF’s network currently consists of more than 300 companies and institutions. In addition, OSF works closely with the Dutch government and foreign missions (embassies and consulates).