Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
World Aquatics participated in the inaugural Swimmable Cities European Forum in Basel, where the Rhine River is central to city life, to discuss advancing urban swimming infrastructure with water safety as a priority.
Senior Development Manager Vita Balsyte represented World Aquatics, contributing to discussions on Urban Strategy, Water Safety, Waterfront Investment, and Sponge Cities. A key theme was that successful swimmable cities require both education and public behavior alongside physical infrastructure.
Forum participants stressed the importance of incorporating open water swimming education from an early age. Teaching children swimming skills and water literacy fosters respect for and safe interaction with natural water bodies, strengthening community bonds with urban waterways.
Speakers emphasized the need for continuous water quality monitoring and timely communication to help residents make informed, safe choices and trust municipal water management. Specific open water hazards such as currents, post-rain contamination, debris, and seasonal changes were discussed, with calls for investment in clear communication of both risks and benefits.
The forum reinforced the idea that urban life flourishes when water features support physical, mental, and social health. Guided swims, educational programs, community events, and citizen science activities were highlighted as effective ways to maintain community engagement with waterways.
These perspectives align with World Aquatics' Discover Water programme, which equips children and communities worldwide with aquatic skills and safety knowledge for confident interaction with pools, rivers, and seas. World Aquatics looks forward to further collaboration ahead of the next Swimmable Cities Summit to advance these initiatives.