The Netherlands Delegation to CISM visits CISM Headquarters in Brussels

BRUSSELS (BEL) – On Tuesday, 30 October 2025, the International Military Sports Council (CISM) had the honor of welcoming a delegation from the Netherlands Armed Forces at its Headquarters in Brussels. The Dutch delegation, led by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Maree, Chief of Delegation of the Netherlands to CISM, was warmly received by CISM Secretary General, Navy Captain Roberto Recchia, together with members of the CISM Staff.

The delegation included Major Roar Strooper, Coordinator of Defence Sports Competitions, Patricia Brok from the Financial Administration, Nynke van Beersum from External Communications, Sander Datema from Procurement, Martijn van den Hadelkamp, Head of Business Operations, and Robin Houthuizen-Bruijn from Logistics. Their presence reflected the multidimensional structure of the Netherlands Defence Sports framework and highlighted the country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with CISM.

The meeting began with a presentation by Lieutenant Colonel Maree, who provided a detailed overview of the Netherlands’ defence sports activities, organizational structure of the Bureau Internationale Militaire Sport (BIMS) based in Utrecht and way of working. This introduction was followed by a presentation from CISM Secretary General Roberto Recchia, who gave insights into CISM’s history, mission and ongoing projects, while outlining the organization’s long-term strategy to further develop military sports worldwide.

Discussions focused on areas of cooperation, mutual support and the shared challenges faced in the domain of military sport. Both sides underlined the importance of maintaining strong ties between national delegations and CISM Headquarters. Such meetings provide an essential platform for exchanging best practices, aligning strategic priorities and identifying opportunities to strengthen collaboration.

In his remarks, Navy Captain Recchia emphasized the value of this exchange. “Welcoming our Member Nations to Brussels is always a moment of great importance,” he said. “It allows us to reinforce our partnership, better understand the realities of national defence sport systems, and determine how CISM can best support them in achieving their objectives. The Netherlands has always been an active and dedicated partner in our community, and today’s meeting reinforced this commitment.”

The visit concluded with a shared determination to continue building upon the strong foundations of cooperation between CISM and the Netherlands Armed Forces, ensuring that military sport remains a powerful tool to promote solidarity, resilience and international friendship among soldiers.

(Source: CISM Media & Communication Department)