Season’s greetings from ENGSO: message from the president
Dear friends,
Before we step in 2024, I would like to take the opportunity to look back on 2023 and acknowledge the milestones we achieved – together, with your continuous support and valuable contribution throughout the whole year.
2023 has been another year filled with incredible events, valuable projects, fruitful partnerships, meaningful discussions and significant growth in terms of representing and advocating for the voluntary-based sport in Europe.
With no doubt, the highlight of the year was the 2023 General Assembly and the election of a new ENGSO Executive Committee, strengthening of EWS and EU Advisory Committees, and election of new ENGSO Youth Committee.
With the support of our longtime member organisations, the Hellenic Paralympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Portugal, we met twice; for the General Assembly in May (in Hersonissos – Crete, Greece), and for the European Sport Platform in October (in Lisbon, Portugal). Thank you to both member organisations for a warm welcome, fruitful discussions and two incredible events.
The implementation of those activities would not be possible without the committed work of ENGSO Committees. The Equality Within Sport (EWS) Committee invested enormous effort into improving equality in sport in Europe through its action plan and related activities: events, meetings, networking, research, position paper, projects, campaigns and much more. Their expertise contributed to the successful finalisation of the EQUIP project which equipped sport organisations for equality in practice.
The ENGSO EU Advisory Committee continued to advocate for grassroots sport within European and international institutions, supported the values-based, bottom-up European sports model and continuously provided up-to-date developments on sport policy in Europe.
CHANGE project and the Youth Integrity Ambassadors Programme, to which our partner The European Lotteries is contributing, continued the mission to promote good governance, integrity and values in sport. Sport as values partnership connected the EU with the Balkan region with the aim to empower grassroots sport across Europe.
ENGSO Youth had an incredible year which, among many activities, included a premiere of a new event – the European Youth and Sport Platform which took place in June in Stockholm/Bosön, Sweden, and was hosted by the ENGSO member Swedish Sports Confederation.
Our goal for 2024 remains the same: to represent, develop and advocate for the voluntary-based sport in Europe, and commit to fulfil its mission of building stronger communities through grassroots sport.
We hope that you are able to enjoy a joyful and pleasant holiday with your loved ones and wish you a #BeActive New Year filled with happiness, resilience and health.
Stefan Bergh,
ENGSO President
