A week to promote inclusion

and well-being in sport

20/09/2024

The tenth consecutive annual European Week of Sport, led by the European Commission, has a special significance this year just a few days after the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Commission has chosen to highlight Olympic values this year. Although the main objective of this European Week, which brings together hundreds of initiatives from across the whole Union, is to promote lifelong participation in sport and physical activity and make people aware of the benefits of doing sport, the accent in 2024 will be on inclusion, well-being and belonging. These three issues are a perfect match with the values put forward by Sport and Citizenship since its creation.

Within the framework of this Week, which takes place from 23 to 30 September, the European Commission is launching its #BeInclusive prizes, which have been awarded to projects and initiatives working for the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups (ethnic minorities, refugees, migrants, persons with a disability, vulnerable young people and others) through sport since 2017. On their side, the #BeActive prizes launched two years earlier continue to recognise the projects and people whose actions ensure the promotion of sport and physical activity in general for Europeans.

Sport and Citizenship has published numerous documents on inclusion and well-being through sport, and has made some very concrete recommendations on these subjects. The Think Tank also organises numerous conferences and other events to defend these vital issues with political decision-makers and as many people as possible.

It is one of the partners of the European Week of Sport. It is also responsible for managing and coordinating various projects set up by the European Union through its Erasmus+ programme.

Sport and Citizenship manages the following projects:

PACTE+ (Promoting Active Cities Throughout Europe) which acts to combat the scourge of the sedentary lifestyle, particularly in towns and cities.
OSES (Ocean Sustainability through Education and Sports) which aims to make children aware of the environment through sport and to educate them about environmentally responsible actions, paying particular attention to the seas and oceans.
Planet Ball which aims to educate young people about environmental issues through football

It also partners projects on gender equality in sport (Gap Women), on preserving the European sport heritage (My Sporting Heritage), and on promoting fair play in sport (Sport Board).

Now that Paris 2024 has made such a deep impression on people, Sport and Citizenship intends to defend the social legacy of the Olympics and draw up concrete propositions for “leaving a more inclusive society after the Games”. We are convinced that the European Week of Sport will contribute to this with the themes being highlighted, and that messages about the importance of inclusion in sport given by the Olympics will continue to be heard.