EuropeActive, together with its national associations, came together on Friday 8 December to celebrate and discuss the success of the 2023 #BEACTIVE DAY campaign at their annual Conference in Brussels. The event showcased the exceptional achievements of the #BEACTIVE DAY campaign’s 3rd edition, a European-wide campaign that celebrates the fun and importance of physical activity offering a multitude of free events and activities across Europe.
The conference kicked off with a warm welcome from Anna Miškovičová (Communications & Campaign Officer, EuropeActive) who set an enthusiastic tone for the event she moderated. Jennifer Halsall-de Wit (President's Council Secretary) then underscored EuropeActive’s unwavering commitment to the European Week of Sport, emphasising the organisation's pivotal role in fostering health and fitness across the continent. The opening segment concluded with Kiera Wason (EU Affairs Manager) presenting the outstanding results of the #BEACTIVE DAY 2023 campaign, compiled into the 2023 #BEACTIVE DAY Brochure:
- 5 524 events were organised,
- Involving 444 289 participants,
- Across 24 different countries,
- And reaching over 6.18 million people through social media activities, almost doubling the previous year's reach of 3.2 million!
The campaign’s success is entirely owed to the dedicated efforts of EuropeActive’s national fitness associations whose hard work and proactive implementation of the campaign enables #BEACTIVE DAY to effectively demonstrate the power of the health and fitness sector to get people moving across the continent. The conference gave them a platform to recognise and applaud their exceptional contributions, notably by featuring presentations from the national associations who are part of the 2023 #BEACTIVE DAY project consortium. Representatives from Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania and Serbia shared their national results and unique experiences, highlighting the diverse and impactful ways #BEACTIVE DAY was embraced in their respective countries. These stories illustrate the campaign's broad reach and the collective effort in promoting physical activity and fitness.
Olivier Smith (Deputy Head of the European Commission's Sport Unit) took the stage to recall the importance of the European Week of Sport 2023 (EWoS). He highlighted the strong synergy between the European Week of Sport and #BEACTIVE DAY, focusing on the crucial role sport and physical activity can play in reflecting and shaping societal values. Occurring on the launch of EWoS, the #BEACTIVE DAY campaign reinforces the European Commission’s clear message about the importance of promoting more active and healthier lifestyles to millions of people across the continent, making a significant contribution to the growing success of the European Week of Sport.
For its third edition, #BEACTIVE DAY adopted an intergenerational approach to get the youngest and oldest age groups more active, more often, and together. Valdemar Maints (Manager at Fit&Sund) introduced the 2023 #BEACTIVE DAY Inclusion Guide to the audience. Available in ten languages, the guide was collaboratively written between experts and the project consortium, aiming at fostering engagement in health-enhancing physical activities across diverse age groups. Fabrice Williquet (Owner and Managing Director, Physical Coaching Academy) then shared the second novelty of this year’s campaign: the inaugural event in Brussels. Co-organised by EuropeActive, David Lloyd Uccle, and Physical Coaching Academy, the event offered a unique opportunity for participants to engage in free workshops led by certified trainers. Following this, Florian Brauer (Senior Global Brand Manager, FIBO Global Fitness) highlighted the organisation's sponsorship commitment to the #BEACTIVE DAY campaign.
A particularly inspiring moment came from UkraineActive, represented by Oleksander Brykulskyi, who showcased their extraordinary commitment to promoting fitness under dramatically challenging circumstances. Finally, the conference reached its conclusion with Andreas Paulsen (CEO, EuropeActive) reflecting on the success of #BEACTIVE DAY and the series of influential events throughout the year. His remarks acknowledged the collaborative efforts and dedication of participants and #BEACTIVE DAY partners in advancing EuropeActive’s mission.
Bringing together its national association partners, experts, and representatives from the European Union institutions in Brussels, the #BEACTIVE DAY Final Conference celebrated the campaign’s success, its inclusive reach and the power of collective action in fostering a healthier and more active Europe.
