4 The Dutch society is changing. This include decentralisation in the social sphere, the changing economy, the ageing population, and above all the growing importance of digital technology. All these signs suggest increasing attention on the individual needs in the future and more and more person will decide individually what sport to pursue, when and where, and with whom. Institutions such as the sports federations and the Dutch NOC will have less say in determining how sports should be organised and will instead become more of a facilitator instead. At the same time, each individual’s need to connect with other people is as strong as ever. In fact, in these more fragmented times, people feel even more a need to belong to something and join in activities than before. People organise their lives in a variety of ways and since sport exists in so many and such diverse forms, it is an ideal way of connecting and joining in. We are truly living in an age of opportunities! The Dutch sports federations and the Dutch NOC are keenly aware that in order to harness sport’s potential to influence society for the better, it is essential to adopt an open attitude, to be willing to adopt new organisational forms, earnings models, innovations, and partnerships. Cooperation is crucial not just to improve internal cohesiveness but also to forge better ties with public authorities, the education and health sectors, the business world, and all manner of civil society organisations and initiatives. It is only through cooperation that Dutch sport can pursue the following key objectives: • organising major international sports events; • creating the right conditions for Dutch elite athletes to excel on the world stage; • making everyday sport accessible to everyone. Moreover, it is only through cooperation that local authorities can use sport as a means to encourage vulnerable people to participate in society; that schools can use sport to help pupils to keep fit and attain or maintain a healthy weight; and that businesses can harness the power of sport to enhance their own image at home and abroad. In short, it is vital for Dutch sport and other sectors to build good partnerships with each other to achieve our shared goals. The Sports Agenda 2017+ maps out the direction that the Dutch sports sector, together with its partners, intends to pursue to safeguard the positive social impact of sport for the coming decades, and thus to contribute a little to making the Netherlands – and the wider world - a better place. André Bolhuis, President NOC*NSF Gerard Dielessen, Secretary General NOC*NSF
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