The European Week of Sport 2023 came to an end with a very successful and positive outcome.
The European Week of Sport took place across our country with various events as part of the European Union’s #BeActive campaign, promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. It aimed to raise awareness about the importance of sports and active living for community health and well-being. #BeActive encouraged sports for everyone, regardless of age, with the goal of healthier and happier citizens. European Week of Sport 2023, built on last year’s success, featured events in 40 countries, diverse activities, contests, and millions of enthusiastic participants.
The focus this year was on involvement, inclusion, and innovation, reflecting contemporary societal changes. This year’s European Week of Sport focused on various themes, including schools, workplaces, fitness centres, sports organisations, and community engagement through local governments and outdoor activities. In this regard, SportMalta organised two main events.
The #BeActive Night, which was held on Saturday, September 23 at 6:30pm at the Cottonera Sports Complex, emphasized fitness as the primary focus. The event commenced with a walk from Kalkara, followed by a fitness challenge with over 300 registered athletes, fitness sessions for the public, and a water polo tournament in an Olympic-sized pool.
The Main National Event, was held on Sunday, September 24 in the afternoon at the Marsa Sports Grounds, and transformed the grounds into a sports village featuring more than 20 different sporting disciplines. It was a fun activity for all those who attended to watch and take part in a different sport. This event included a variety of disciplines, from athletics, skateboarding, basketball 3×3, badminton, gymnastics, netball, judo, rugby, volleyball, billiard, table tennis and much more. Special Olympics also organised various sports for their member athletes, while a football tournament was also organised throughout the day.
In collaboration with SportMalta, various sports clubs and organizations also organised their own events, encouraging more and more people to be active through sports.
This year, SportMalta partnered with several fitness centres, which opened their doors for free sessions on Saturday, September 30, with the aim of encouraging regular exercise.
Recognising that workplaces, schools, and homes have become places where people spent a significant portion of their time, SportMalta seized the opportunity to organise activities in these environments and brainstormed ideas on how individuals could remain active in such settings. To this end, SportMalta hosted various team-building physical activities in workplaces and the SportMalta National Schools Sports Day on October 13, where schools across the nation are invited to participate.
Over the years, SportMalta had also produced numerous video clips under the #BeActiveAtHome initiative, catering for those who preferred to exercise in the comfort of their homes.
For a comprehensive list of all events happening during the European Week of Sport of this year, one could visit the website at sportmalta.mt Everyone was invited to join in any of these events as an opportunity to kickstart or expand their physical activity journey.
SportMalta is promoting sport and physical activity throughout the year and from early ages through the #BeActive campaigns. The aim is to raise awareness within society regarding the importance of physical activity and participation in sports. The European Commission aims for the European Week of Sport to promote more action in favour of physical activity.
SportMalta extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participants who joined us in celebrating the European Week of Sport this year. Your enthusiasm and dedication to promoting physical activity and well-being have made this event a resounding success.
The next official activity for SportMalta is in October, the SportMalta National Schools Sports Day will be held in all schools in Malta and Gozo.