The European Commission held their annual #BEACTIVE awards ceremony in Brussels on November 23 as a gala event. This ninth edition was opened by Iliana Ivanova, the new European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth (responsible for Sport), who notably praised the European Week of Sport’s initiatives and impact, and celebrated the #Healthylifestyle4All initiative’s successful close.
With the support of sport ministers from across the continent, Commissioner Ivanova awarded the winners of all four categories, that were selected by a jury who had the difficult task of selecting only 12 finalists from over 100 eligible applications. With the aim of recognising, celebrating and supporting the amazing work that people and projects do across Europe to promote further physical activity, the 2023 Award winners are:
- Education Award: won by Patronat Municipal de Serveis d'Atenció a les Persones de Martorell (ES), which supports children and teenagers by providing them with formal education tools and physical activity opportunities;
- Workplace Award: won by Eversports (AT), which enables their employees to have greater work-life balance and offers them with physical activity opportunities during and outside of working hours;
- Local Hero Award: won by Kalin Vasilev (BG), who inspires thousands of Bulgarians to be more active and healthier through his community-based volunteer programme that led to the creation of Tarnova Health NGO;
- Across Generations Award: won by Município de Vila Nova de Cerveira (PT), whose project creates activities and age-adapted sport programmes for over 60-year-olds, hence supporting healthy lifestyles and fostering local social cohesion.
Following the Award Ceremony, a panel discussion on Healthy lifestyles took place between Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (Director General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission), Jacob Schouenborg (Secretary General, ISCA), and Sandra Bergqvist (Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity, Finland). A recording of this event can be watched here.
Friday 24 November was dedicated to the European Week of Sport (EWoS) debrief session for National Coordinating Bodies and official EWoS Partners, as EuropeActive has been since the campaign’s start. Among the presentations, the Commission’s Sport Unit revealed that the 2023 EWoS amounted to over 37 000 events and 11 million participants, before facilitating sharing of experiences, feedback and suggestions between themselves and participants, in sight of finetuning for next year’s edition which will be the campaign’s 10th edition! EuropeActive shared their insights, feedback and questions on behalf of the fitness and physical activity sector and on behalf of #BEACTIVE DAY- whose 2023 numbers will be released at the #BEACTIVE DAY Conference on Friday 8 December!
