Physical fitness isn’t just about exercise; it’s a way of life. For the past ten years, Europe and even countries beyond, have embraced this philosophy through the vibrant celebration of the European School Sport Day (ESSD). What began as an initiative to promote physical activity, health, and well-being among students across Europe has blossomed into an annual extravaganza, celebrated in countless schools, resonating with the importance of a physically active lifestyle and its multifaceted benefits, leaving an enduring mark on schools and communities across the continent.

The birth of a movement 
In 2006, the Hungarian School Sport Federation (HSSF) launched the Hungarian School Sport Day dedicated to promoting physical activity and to empowering the “belonging to the school” experience for every child. Since then, schools in Hungary have organised colourful sport activities for school-aged children annually to celebrate school sport and fun ways of being active. Building on its success in the following nine years after its debut, HSSF applied for and won its first Erasmus+ Sport grant in 2015 to implement the Hungarian good practice at EU level. That year, the inaugural European School Sport Day laid its foundations, uniting schools and students in a collective endeavour to prioritise physical activity. Spearheaded by collaborative efforts between educational and sports institutions (HSSF, ISCA, EUPEA, Youth Sport Trust International, V4Sport and BG Be Active), ESSD emerged as a beacon advocating for a healthier, more active generation.

With each passing year, ESSD gained momentum, transcending boundaries and transcultural differences. What started as a localised celebration swiftly grew into a continent-wide event, embracing diverse cultures, and traditions. The overarching core message, however, remained consistent: raising awareness about physical activity and health among children, inspiring a generation to revel in the joy of movement and embrace an active lifestyle. Moreover, ESSD didn’t limit its reach to school grounds. It engaged families and communities, hosting workshops and outreach programs that advocated for a comprehensive approach to well-being. 

In an age defined by technology, the ESSD adapted brilliantly. ESSD embraced technology, leveraging social media platforms and digital resources to amplify its message. Online campaigns, live streaming of events, and interactive challenges contributed to widening its reach and engaging a tech-savvy audience. Since 2018, ESSD introduces special focus topics each year to promote social values and goals, where sport and an ESSD-like events can have an amplifying role. Additionally, the focus topics of ESSD are echoing the priorities of European policies in sport, health, education and social inclusion, turning policy-priorities into action in an easy and understandable form. Focus topic toolkits so far have introduced grassroots sport, healthy nutrition, mental health, movement spaces, environmental sustainability, healthy lifestyle, joy in sport and physical activity, and education through sport.

Over the past decade, the impact of ESSD served as an inspiration for similar initiatives worldwide. Its success stories and recognition-worthy outcomes served as a blueprint for countries (not yet members of the ESSD network) aiming to promote physical activity among the younger generations in addition to the benefit of becoming a partner in community of like-minded professionals.

To this end, we have to mention that, throughout its journey, ESSD has not always been a fairy-tale without any real-life hurdles, as it encountered challenges, including logistical obstacles, resource constraints, and adapting to unforeseen circumstances, like the global pandemic, that put the adaptability and flexibility of the ESSD network to the test. Yet, the resilience showcased by organisers and national coordinators alike underscored the unwavering commitment to promoting healthy lifestyle among the children.

Highlights of the ESSD decade:

• In 2015, 300,000 children got on the MOVE in 3 countries (Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria).
• In 2016, organised with the continued support of the Erasmus+ Sport programme, ESSD had 1.5 million participants in 20 countries. In the same year ESSD was selected as a “success story” as it distinguished itself by its impact, contribution to policy-making, innovative results and/or creative approach and was a source of inspiration for others.
• In 2017, HSSF engaged 2 million participants in 26 European countries and ESSD became the biggest event of European Week of Sport. Also in this year, the Hungarian Parliament announced the last Friday of September the Hungarian School Sport Day. 
• In 2018, ESSD was organised as a Flagship Event of European Week of Sport in 29 European countries and in 39 countries in 2019. By that time, the number of participants grew to more than 3 million.
• In 2020 although the COVID-19 pandemic and the following restrictions on large-scale events in many countries meant new challenges, the initiative still managed to get almost 2 million kids across 38 countries on the MOVE!
• 2021 was the recovery year after the pandemic, in which the network was trying to revive from the restrictions, and successfully implemented ESSD in 41 countries with over 2 million participants world-wide.
• By 2022 and 2023 the stagnation of the number of kids participating was finally overcome by the enthusiasm and dedication of the ESSD network, resulting that over respectively 2.5 and 2.6 million children were involved in 41 countries in one of the events under the ESSD umbrella.

How to proceed? 
The initiative has grown into an international event over the last 10 years and, with the support of the Erasmus+ Sport programme, children in over 40 countries get active on this day annually. As the European School Sport Day is on the doorstep of its second decade, the future is still filled with potential. The ambitions are grand, aiming to further amplify its impact, reach more schools and countries world-wide, and continue fostering a generation that values and prioritises physical health and well-being. From its humble beginnings to its current standing, ESSD has left an indelible mark, inspiring generations and laying the foundation for a healthier, more active future across Europe and beyond.

Further information on the project:
Call: ERASMUS-SPORT-2023
Reference 101134021 (ESSDD2024)
Coordinator: Hungarian School Sport Federation
Partners: International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA, Denmark), European Physical Education Association (EUPEA, Luxemburg), BG Be Active Association (BGBA, Bulgaria), Deporte Para La Educacion Y La Salud (DES, Spain), Fundacja V4Sport (V4Sport, Poland)
Funder: European Commission
Timeline: 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2024