The European School Sport Day (ESSD) National Coordinators Seminar, scheduled for March 27-28, 2025, in Budapest, Hungary, served as a crucial platform for networking between coordinators and enhancing cooperation between schools and sports clubs. With the theme "Power of Cooperation: Strengthening Links Between Sport Clubs and Schools in the Field of Sport, Physical Activity, and Health," the event aimed to foster partnerships that promote a physically active and health-conscious student population across Europe.

The seminar was organised in collaboration with the European Physical Education Association (EUPEA), which held its annual EUPEA Forum Meeting during 28-29 March 2025. The seminar and the forum meeting provided an exceptional platform for national coordinators, educators, policymakers, and sports organisations from across Europe to engage in a series of dynamic discussions and presentations, and to develop strategies that integrate physical activity into school environments beyond traditional Physical Education (PE) lessons. 

Key take-aways from the ESSD Seminar

At the ESSD Coordinators’ Meeting in Budapest on 27 March 2025, Réka Veress presented key developments in the cooperation between ESSD and the European Week of Sport (EWoS). Since 2015, ESSD has been recognized as a #BeActive event, but challenges like limited funding, lack of formal Europe-wide status, and weak coordination with EWoS have hindered its full potential. In response, a repositioning strategy was launched, involving high-level meetings and continuous dialogue with the European Commission.

Promoting collaboration between EWoS and ESSD coordinators, would provide central communication support, and include ESSD in future EWoS calls as a flagship school-based initiative. ESSD will also gain visibility at major EU events, including the 2025 EU Sport Forum and MOVE Congress. The ESSD team proposed co-branded communications, joint social media campaigns to amplify the overarching messages of both ESSD and EWoS, and a series of articles to highlight country-level successes.
Looking ahead, ESSD 2025 will take place on 26 September in approximately 40 countries, focusing on partnerships between schools and sport clubs. A proposal is also being prepared for the EU's long-term budget consultation to secure more stable, long-term support. These steps aim to firmly position ESSD as a key pillar of the European #BeActive movement.

How to involve secondary school students in ESSD organisation?

Dr. Katalin Kälbli, senior expert at HSSF, presented practical ways to actively engage secondary school students in organizing ESSD. Their involvement can span three key phases: preparation, where they help plan activities, conduct surveys, and set up materials; event implementation, assisting in program delivery, guiding peers, explaining tasks, and documenting the event; and post-event evaluation, such as creating articles or videos that promote reflection and peer engagement. 

Involving students contributes significantly to their personal growth by developing key competences. These include communication, digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity, cultural awareness, and entrepreneurial and employability skills. The workshop also featured an interactive group activity, prompting participants to connect specific student tasks with developing competencies.

Overall, the approach enhances the quality and sustainability of ESSD events and empowers students through meaningful roles that build transferable life skills.

Best practice across the continent dynamically kick-off the EUPEA Forum Meeting

The European School Sport Day (ESSD) has become a powerful platform for promoting physical activity, inclusivity, and community spirit across the continent. A review of the 2024 country reports from Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Romania, Portugal, and England reveals both shared principles and distinct approaches that highlight the diversity and creativity in implementing this initiative at the national level.

In Cyprus, the ESSD initiative has seen remarkable growth since 2020, expanding from 78 schools and 6,150 participants to 165 schools and over 37,000 participants in 2024. This success was rooted in a systematic approach emphasising inspiring, educating, and motivating physical education instructors. Cyprus developed tailored toolkits and communication strategies alongside efforts to attract sponsorship and build partnerships. The programme’s rollout included extensive research, assessment of the national readiness, planning and executing local adaptation of materials, stakeholder engagement, and continuous monitoring. Flagship events focused on themes such as education through movement, environmentally sustainable sport, and finding joy in sport and physical activity by the sea (taking advantage of the local opportunities), reinforcing the holistic values of the initiative.

Italy took a community- and innovation-driven approach. With 126 schools and 19,150 participants, the Italian ESSD was strategically timed just two weeks into the academic year to benefit from favourable weather, allowing many activities to take place outdoors. Activities such as a 2024-meter walk and relays were particularly popular. Italy emphasised digital engagement, offering tutorial videos for teachers and organisers, and launching a vibrant social media campaign. The involvement of national sport ambassadors, such as Paralympian swimmers Stefano Raimondi and Giulia Terzi, added an irresistible personal dimension. Italy’s future goals include scaling up the national flashmob initiative, increasing youth engagement through influential ambassadors, and strengthening ties with local sport associations.

Spain showcased the most extensive participation, engaging over 1,600 schools and more than one million children. The Spanish approach stood out for its robust integration with governmental and intersectoral campaigns. Coordinated efforts between the Ministries of Education and Sport, and the Ministry of Transport, alongside organisations such as the European Week of Sport (EWoS), resulted in a highly visible, nationwide campaign. The ESSD was treated as an annual event and a celebration embedded into the school culture. A dedicated ESSD website in Spanish and translated toolkits supported broad accessibility. Spain also leveraged mass media and social networks to amplify its reach. While the scale was impressive, the organisers identified areas for improvement, including better data reporting and managing overlaps with other sport-themed events.

Romania’s ESSD experience highlighted the importance of local community involvement and visibility through national athletes, celebrities and dignitaries. With nearly 700 schools and over 86,500 participants, the Romanian program emphasised the importance of adequate media coverage, with more than 500 combined reports across social, print, TV, and radio platforms. National celebrities and athletes played a significant role in boosting enthusiasm, while the coordination involved regional education departments, sport clubs, and private fitness businesses.

Portugal provided one of the most integrated models, with a 73% school participation rate—595 out of 811 schools—and more than 190,000 participants. The country’s success was largely due to its clear, phased communication strategy and strong multi-level governance. Coordination between national education and sport authorities, regional governments (including Madeira and the Azores), and physical education teacher councils ensured smooth planning and rollout. The campaign was closely tied to the European Week of Sport and supported by a structured timeline that included early planning, multiple communication waves, and a detailed reporting system. This model of layered planning and extensive stakeholder involvement offers a framework for other countries to adapt.

In England, the ESSD journey from 2019 to 2024 revealed a narrative of adaptation and inclusion. While earlier years focused on school-based events, 2024 emphasised engaging the less active student population through non-traditional sports such as kinball, circus skills, rugby league and lacrosse in on-site and city-wide events. Manchester remained a focal point, hosting flagship events that were both accessible and innovative. The country used storytelling, highlight films, and multi-centre participation to underscore the joy of movement and the importance of community engagement.

Across these six countries, several mutual approaches emerged. All countries prioritised partnerships—whether governmental, educational, or community-based—as crucial to their success. 

“It is very important to highlight that using communication and collaboration with other organisations is not an acceptance of our weaknesses. It’s an acceptance of opportunities to turn our schools into a better environment.” – Zoltán Boronyai, expert at HSSF, leading the development of the focus topic toolkit for ESSD 2025.

The use of toolkits and translated resources ensured local relevance while maintaining a shared European vision. Social media and public visibility were consistently employed to generate enthusiasm and maintain momentum. Most nations also featured flagship events and national ambassadors as tools for engagement and inspiration.

However, differences were also notable. Spain and Portugal showcased the strongest governmental integration, aligning ESSD with broader public health and education strategies. Italy and Cyprus emphasized innovation and early engagement, utilizing tools like flashmobs and targeted outreach to P.E. teachers. England, on the other hand, focused on inclusivity and novelty, specifically designing activities for those who are less traditionally engaged in sports. 

The European School Sport Day continues to evolve as a dynamic, inclusive, and impactful initiative. Each country’s approach adds a unique thread to the ESSD tapestry, enriching the movement and setting new standards for physical education across Europe.

By the end of the seminar, participants have:

• Gained understand the benefits of school-sport club collaborations and learn how to implement them.
• Gained access to ESSD 2025 Toolkits and Self-Assessment Tools for their national ESSD programs.
• Developed country-specific action plans for enhancing school-based physical activity.
• Strengthened their networks with experts, policymakers, and sport organisations across Europe.

This seminar served as a significant milestone in the European movement towards a more active and healthier generation, reinforcing the role of physical education, sports clubs, and community engagement in student well-being.

European School Sport Day Project is funded by the European Union. 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.