Dear walkers,

When I look back on the 2025 edition of the 4Days Marches, I instantly get a big smile on my face. What a special week it was! The atmosphere along the route, the energy across the city and the euphoria at the finish line made last year’s edition another week to be proud of. This was further confirmed by the feedback we received from walkers, including the solid 7.9 out of 10 rating they gave us in the customer satisfaction survey. This is a score that we, as an organisation, along with so many loyal volunteers, are truly proud of.

At the same time, it is never ‘just a rating’ for us. It helps us to keep improving. The satisfaction survey raised two clear focus points, i.e. the starting procedure and congestion on the route. It gets busy from time to time, and having to wait at the start and elsewhere is sometimes simply inevitable, because we have to ensure a safe and smooth flow of walkers. To make sure you know what to expect in terms of potential waits, we are now prioritising clear and timely communication about the start, route and congestion across all our channels. We interviewed Frieda van de Vendel and Bas Versteegen for this magazine to give you a better idea of the starting procedure and congestion on the route. We are also working closely together with local authorities, volunteers and partners to ensure a better spread of walkers and clear routing, so that you can fully focus on what it’s all about: walking and enjoying yourself.

Wondering what to expect in this year’s issue of the magazine? We will take you on a tour of what makes the 108th edition so special. First off, we will go back in time 20 years to 2006, which is a year that had an impact that is still felt right across our organisation today. The international nature of The Walk of the World is highlighted in a three-part series about perseverance and new opportunities featuring Sonia Azatyar, Mo Hersi and the UAF. You will also be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at all the work that is done overnight: marking out, inspecting and clearing the route while the city’s fast asleep. We also sat down with Mátyás Bittenbinder to talk about his love for the city of Nijmegen, nature and walking.

I hope you enjoy the read, but above all: have a wonderful 4Days Marches. Enjoy every step, enjoy the people around you, and enjoy all those things that make this week so special. Good luck!