The recent Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Championships (6-9 March) set new standards for the event beyond the track with the ‘Moving People’ social programme, organised by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation (Atletiekunie) engaging wider audiences with both the event and the sport.
As part of European Athletics’ new Athletics for All initiative, Moving People brought together a series of local and community activations in the lead up to – and during – Apeldoorn 2025. These included:
Mobiele Kombochten
An open-air mini replica of an indoor athletics track, which toured venues in the Netherlands before being placed at the championships, giving the public a unique indoor athletics experience.
Daily Mile
School-based activities to promote the well-being benefits of running to children across the Netherlands.
Club support
Engagement with local athletics clubs to promote all Moving People activities to all club members.
Schools and sport services
Introduction of the Apeldoorn 2025 challenge box, including Run, Jump, Throw, and The Daily Mile programmes, to promote the well-being benefits of athletics.
Smoke-free sport
The first outdoor sports association in the Netherlands to be 100% smoke-free.
Midwinter Marathon Night Run (2 February)
Course activations at the one of the host city’s biggest mass participation events to promote Apeldoorn 2025.