The European Week of Sport 2019 will take place from 23 to 30 September.

The official opening ceremony will be held in Espoo, Finland on 23 September 2019, as part of Finland’s EU Presidency programme. The event will feature high level speakers and delegates from the world of politics and sport.

Initiated by the European Commission, this week is the largest public-funded sports initiative worldwide. Since its launch in 2015, it has involved 38 countries, 106,700 events and 40,244,206 participants with the goal of promoting sport and physical activity across Europe.

Over the last years, the Eurobarometer studies have shown that the level of physical inactivity is increasing in Europe. “The trend is worrying,” said Head of the Sport Unit at the European Commission Yves Le Lostecque. “That is why public authorities and sports organisations must join efforts to improve the situation.”

With the slogan “Be Active”, the initiative grows year after year, encouraging even more Europeans to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle. From five million participants and 7,000 events in 2015, the 2018 edition drew in a staggering 12 million participants across 48,500 events.

As part of the initiative, many activities and events are organised to raise awareness on these health & sport related topics.

In recognition of the fifth anniversary of the week, the annual social media challenge has been called the #5minChallenge. To participate social media users will just need to post photos or videos of their five-minute workout on their Instagram accounts and invite their friends to compete using the hashtag #5minChallenge.

One of the many events on the programme is the #BeActive Night, which will be organised on 28 September by many EU countries. It represents a key means to generating enthusiasm and a sense of European unity around the project.

While, the European School Sport Day (ESSD), taking place on 27^th September, is a school day dedicated to having fun, playing together and promoting physical activity and health for everyone.

Last but not least, the #BeActive Awards highlight projects and individuals dedicated to the promotion of sport and physical activity across Europe. Prizes will be assigned in three categories: education, workplace and local hero.

Read more here or on the handbook