NEWS

As a Member of the Consultative Committee Bureau of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) of the Council of Europe, on February 21-22, 2022, EAS participated to the webinar on ‘Physical education and school sports: a creative approach to human rights and democracy’ and the Consultative Committee Bureau meetings.

In addressing  how physical education teachers and coaches can implement a values-based physical education and sports training approach, on February 21 the webinar expanded the relevant issue of sports at school levels, also discussed during the last fifth EAS cafè.

The webinar was opened by Kolë Gjeloshaj (Chair of the EPAS Consultative Committee and Deputy Secretary General of International School Sport Federation), with Sophie Kwasny (Head of the Sport Division of the Council of Europe) welcoming the panelists and the participants, and Francine Raveney (Deputy Executive Secretary of EPAS) moderating the speakers, who shared their experiences and expertise on creative approaches to physical education and school sports.

In particular, Michael Trinker (Senior Project Manager at the Council of Europe) illustrated the European Sports Charter, which was revised in 2021 to inspire Member States policies on a comprehensive framework of an ethical, inclusive and safe sport; Hrvoje Custonja (Secretary General of the International School Sport Federation) presented an international perspective of the opportunities and challenges of school sport; Ana Znidarec (Assistant professor at the University of Zagreb) reported relevant concepts for the promotion of values through physical education and sport; Caterina Pesce (Associate professor at the University of Rome Foro Italico) explained the relevance of translating scientific principles to multisectoral active play promotions for a holistic child development;  Rose-Marie Repond (European Physical Education Association) testified the sports values and principles of the Council of Europe; and Elena Casero (Project officer at the Council of Europe)  offered the project Start to Talk as a good practice example to combat abuse and harassment in sport. More information is available at  https://www.coe.int/en/web/sport/webinar-physical-education-and-school-sports-a-creative-approach-to-human-rights-and-democracy-

To allow for an effective integration of newly elected members within the Consultative Committee (Alice Milliat Foundation, International Basketball Federation – FIBA, International Federation for Sports Officials – IFSO, and Panathlon International – PI), an induction session was organized in the morning of February 22 for providing information on the Council of Europe, the role of the Consultative Committee and its members, and the EPAS’ structure and activities. The induction session also allowed the new members to present their aims, vision, and activities, which could fulfill their active in EPAS.

In the afternoon, a meeting of the Consultative Committee Bureau was organized to report on the recent EPAS activities (e.g., webinars and projects), and to define the provisional agenda of the plenary meeting to be held on June 13, 2022 in Strasbourg, France, during which the elections to the Consultative Committee Bureau will take place. In particular, according to the EPAS Term of Reference, after the two last mandates EAS will not be eligible for the next two-year term.

Further information on the calendar activities of EPAS are available at https://www.coe.int/en/web/sport/calendar-of-activities-2022