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On April 15 and 16, 2026, EAS was invited to attend the annual EU Sport Forum “Values, Inclusion, and Wellbeing” organized by the European Commission in cooperation with the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth in Phapos, Cyprus.

Mr. Normunds Popens ‐ Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (EAC) of the European Commission, and Mr. Marios Panayides ‐ Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of Cyprus, welcomed delegated of leading sport organisations, sport federations, European networks, and policymakers to the two-day event encompassing keynote speeches, plenary and parallel sessions, and panel discussions on relevant issues of the European Sport Model.

Mrs. Paola Ottomano, Team Leader, Sport Unit of the European Commission, and Mr. Luciano Di Fonzo, Deputy Head of Erasmus Mundus and Sport Unit of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), informed on the strategic vision for sport in Europe, including the results of the public consultation on the European Sport Model.

The thematic discussion of the first day of the event regarded: Removing barriers to women’s sporting success; Rewarding talent in sport: boosting solidarity and competitive balance; Not just medals, rethinking sport for lifelong wellbeing; The future of the European Week of Sport; The future priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Council; Uniting the Mediterranean through sport; Mental health in sport: pressure and resilience; Knowledge sharing sessions on good practices from Cyprus; Peer learning activities in Bulgaria and Slovenia; and The project GAIIN from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

On the second day, Mr. Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, presented his personal contribution to key priorities and activities of the European Commission in the field of sport, highlighting the crucial role of physical literacy for lifelong active behaviours and health. This issue was further emphasized during the round table Move more, live better: why movement matters at every age with high-level speakers and contributors. The last two sessions were dedicated to the athletes’ experiences into sport governance roles, and the integrity and investment for the future of European basketball. Final remarks were provided by Mr. Georg Häusler, Director of Culture, Creativity and Sport of the European Commission. Further information and Recordings of the 2026 EU Sport Forum will be available at sport.ec.europa.eu.

During the event, EAS and EUSA also disseminated information on the ERASMUS+Sport Collaborative Partnership “Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Career” (DiscoverU), which aims to encourage innovative community engagement in physical activity and healthy lifestyles among university students.

The DiscoverU project is funded by the European Union coordinated by EUSA. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.