The European Sports Forum 2003 will be held in Verona, Italy, on Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd on November. The Forum, organised by the European Commission in co-operation with the member state holding the Presidency of the Union, is an annual event which brings together national delegations made up of representatives from National Paralympic and Olympic Committees and government representatives from all European Union countries to discuss and debate sport in Europe. It is one of the most important events on the European sports calendar and takes on a special significance this year due to the designation of 2004 as European Year of Education through Sport, and for the sports for the disabled movement given that 2003 is European Year of Persons with a Disability.
As well as delegates from the current fifteen member states, for the first time invitations have this year gone out to the ten accession states which will become full members of the Union next year. This means up to twenty-five delegates representing their NPC and the Paralympic movement in general are eligible to attend. Travelling and accommodation expenses for two nights are covered, on this occasion by the City of Verona, so participation involves no outlay on the part of NPCs.
The European Paralympic Committee is determined to ensure
the voice of sports for the disabled is heard loud and clear at this year’s
Forum. EPC recognises the key role gatherings of this type play in determining
future sports policy in an ever growing European Union and beyond, and is
working to make sure the Paralympic movement enjoys a strong presence at the
Forum and plays a pivotal role during the two-day event, despite the unfortunate
but unavoidable clash of dates with the IPC General Assembly in Torino. EPC
and IPC believe, however, that the nature of the Forum requires the participation
of NPC representatives familiar with the technical side of sports management
rather than political leaders, and that most NPCs should therefore have little
difficulty in identifying a suitable delegate. The importance of establishing
closer relations with the European Union and other major players involved
in sport in Europe was reaffirmed recently at the EPC General Assembly in
Greece, where a motion welcoming recent initiatives to strengthen relations
with the Union and urging the EPC Executive Committee to develop a long-term
strategy on this issue was adopted unanimously by the General Assembly.
Practical details for the Forum were recently sent out to all potential delegates.
You will find the draft programme and a registration form on this page. Please
note the registration form included here is for observers, for whom expenses
are not covered. Each NPC will by now have received a personalised registration
form which should be returned by fax as soon as possible to the City of Verona
( + 39 045 807 83 96). Updated information is also available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/sport.
The workshops at the 2003 Forum will focus on three major topics; sport as a means of social integration, the role of European sport in an international context and sport and media literacy. NPC delegates have much to contribute to all these topics, and all three touch upon important issues for sports for the disabled, although the subject of social integration may be of special relevance to the disabled sports representatives. EYES 2004 and the European Convention set the background for this year’s gathering.
If you need further information on EPC’s participation at the 2003 European Sports Forum contact epc.sg@once.es.