Involvement, inclusion and innovation are the three main pillars of this year’s European Week of Sport. The now traditional campaign aimed at drawing attention to the importance of physical activity was presented today in Belgrade.

The European Sports Week was launched by the European Commission and this year it will be held for the 9th time, while the activities will be organized in Serbia for the 6th time, said the President of the Olympic Committee Božidar Maljković, who adds that so far over 150,000 people have participated in the activities in Serbia. .

“We are proud that our ambassadors took part in the promotion of the European Week of Sports this year, encouraging the citizens of Serbia to be active by personal example, regardless of their age or physical fitness. They are real role models who, with their actions, inspire and motivate people around them to change for the better and to take care of their health,” says Maljković.

Serbia is a proud sports nation and all the recent successes motivate and inspire us to take full advantage of the European Week of Sports, says Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Plamena Halacheva, who highlights the Union’s assistance to sports actors.

“In the past three years, we have renovated or built from scratch 25 sports facilities throughout Serbia. During 2021, we supported Serbian Paralympians to travel to the Games in Tokyo. “Over 100 local organisations and sports associations from Serbia have so far benefited from Erasmus + projects, designed to address social and sport-related challenges, as well as capacity building,” says Halacheva.

Sports activities in Serbia have a long and rich history, not only taking into account the successes, says the Minister of Sports Zoran Gajić.

“This action is extremely important to promote and inspire children to come and exercise, as well as to inspire recreational people who have never competed to come and exercise for their health and I think that is one of the most positive things.” The quality of an individual’s life depends on nothing without health, so I think we are doing a very important, socially responsible thing,” notes Gajić.

The program of the European Week of Sports was presented by the ambassadors of the campaign, successful athletes Milica Đuričić and Ivana Majstorović Anđušić. You can find the program here.

The European Week of Sport was launched in 2015 as a response to the growing crisis of inactivity. Sport and physical activity contribute significantly to the well-being of European citizens. Unfortunately, the level of physical activity in some countries is stagnating and even declining.

No matter who we are or what we do, even a small increase in regular physical activity can have a profound effect on our long-term health.

The week exists to raise awareness of the importance of an active lifestyle for all. European Week of Sport is designed to give people across Europe and the world a springboard to get active.