The 42^nd EOC Seminar took place that the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece, from the 30 September to the 1 October.

The highlights of the Seminar meeting are as follows.

EOC President Spyros Capralos’s Welcome Address:

Highlighted the importance of the European Week of Sport and shared details of the EOC’s promotion and initiatives around this.

• Noted that 2023 will be an exciting year for the EOC with two EYOFs, the Games of the Small States of Europe and the European Games in Poland.
• Noted the importance of the recent deal with the EBU to broadcast the Games, which will add great visibility.
• Thanked the President of the Polish Olympic Committee Andrzej Kraśnicki and the President of the Organising Committee Marcin Nowak for their commitment to making the 3^rd edition of the European Games a reality.

President of the International Olympic Academy (IOA) Isidoros Kouvelos’s Welcome Address:

• IOA has a clear understanding of the rules of Olympism.
• Institutions related to the Olympic Movement should live the experience inside the IOA so that they stay connected to the Movement and become ambassadors of Olympism.
• Highlighted that this was the first time in history the EOC Seminar has been held at the IOA.

Introduction of EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi to the 42nd EOC Seminar:

• Stressed that great things are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people.
• Informed members that topics that were discussed at the Seminar came from feedback from the European NOCs.
• Gave an update on the latest activities of the EOC Head Office.
• Highlighted the importance of this meeting enabling European NOCs to share knowledge.

Report of ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg:

• Explained that ANOC’s Strategic Plan involved feedback from 169 NOCs.
• Noted that all NOCs will attend the XXVI ANOC General Assembly Seoul 2022.
• Informed members that ANOC has a Working Group cooperating with the IOC to improve the international sports calendar to benefit athletes.
• Shared that ANOC is looking to improve the significance of each continental games by increasing the number of Olympic qualifying events.
• Provided an update on the status of the ANOC World Beach Games Bali 2023.
• Clarified that ANOC plans to promote gender equality with a new regulation that requires every Commission and the ANOC Executive Council to have at least one woman as a member.
• Explained that applications for NOCs that have not applied remain open.
• Shared that ANOC will join the UN Race to Zero Campaign, which will have a booth in Seoul to explain how others can join the programme.

Report of IOC Olympic Solidarity Deputy Director Pamela Vipond:

• Updated members on recent activities of European NOCs.
• Clarified that ANOC plans to promote gender equality
• Reported that 296 athletes from 39 NOCs who competed at the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022 received scholarships.
• Conveyed that European NOCs received just under $10m for participation in the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022.
• Informed members that the first Olympic Scholarships for athletes for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 started on 1 January 2022.
• Explained that applications for NOCs that have not applied remain open.
• Described initiatives to assist new NOC Secretary Generals.
• Thanked European NOCs for the unprecedented level of support they have showed the Ukrainian Olympic Community.
• Noted that next steps will be focused on creating a strategy to distribute funds to Ukrainian athletes in preparation for Olympic Games qualifying events.

Report of Chair of the Working Group Djordje Visacki:

• Explained the in-depth process behind the report.
• Described the 6 Key Strategic Priorities (KSP).
• Conveyed to members how the EOC plan to facilitate and strengthen support towards NOCs.
• Noted plans to ensure a safe sporting environment for all athletes.
• Defined how the EOC’s Governance and Management policies will be implemented and aligned with the IOC’s Good Governance Principles respecting the highest ethical standards.
• Informed members how the EOC plans to promote sustainable hosting of EOC Sports events

11th Piotr Nurowski Best European Young Athlete Prize presented by Chair of EOC Athletes’ Commission Gerd Kanter:

• Presented the five finalists for the award.
• Noted that the IOA has invited all 5 finalists to the Young Ambassadors Programme next year.
• Explained the voting process to the members.
• Announced Angelina Topić as the winner of the PNP Award at Gala Dinner.
• Announced Andrea Spendolini Sirieix as 2^nd, Filippo Bertoni at 3^rd, Sofia Dalidou at 4^th and Daria Atmanov as 5^th
• Reported that the winner receives EUR 15,000 training scholarship, runner-up receives EUR 8,000, third place receives EUR 5,000 and 4^th & 5^th receives EUR 3,000.

Day 2: EOC Seminar

Report for the European Games Krakow – Malopolska 2023 by Chair of the Coordination Commission Hasan Arat, President of the Polish Olympic Committee Andrzej Kraśnicki and President of the Organising Committee Marcin Nowak:

Explained the challenges that were faced due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

• Underlined the need to work together to make the Games a success.
• Shared that 18 Olympic sports have been confirmed which will all have Olympic qualifying events.
• Noted that this edition of the European Games would have the most Olympic Games qualifying events in the competition’s history.
• Reported that seven non-Olympic sports would be on the sports programme.
• Emphasised the majority of sports would have an equal number of men and women participating at the event.
• Highlighted the distances between venues.
• Revealed the six host cities: Krakow, Chorzow, Tarnow, Krynica-Zdroj, Zakopane and Wroclaw.
• Overview given of Athletes’ Villages.
• Confirmed official tenders for delegates accommodation would take place within the next two weeks.
• Disclosed that the mascot would be revealed in December.

EOC Sports Programme Overview by EOC Sport Director Peter Brull:

Noted that the final sport programme for the European Games Krakow – Malopolska 2023 is still to be finalised, and that this will be done after the upcoming Coordination Commission 12-13 October.

• Highlighted the sports that are confirmed to be taking place at the European Games.
• Explained that Ski Jumping has been included in the sports programme due to the Polish NOCs request to have it in the Games.

15th Laurels Awards:

• Announced the 10 winners of the award.
• President of the Albanian Olympic Committee, Mr. Fidel Ylli.
• Secretary General of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee Belcho Goranov.
• Member of the Croatian Olympic Committee Zvjezdana Tuma-Pavlov.
• Former Vice-President of the Czechia Olympic Committee, Mr. Frantisek Dvorak.
• Former Danish National Olympic Committee President, former EOC Acting President and former EOC Vice-President, Mr. Niels Nygaard
• Former Chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA) and Honorary IOC Member, Sir Craig Reedie.
• Former Vice President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and President of the National Shooting Federation, Mr. Pavlos Kanellakis.
• former President of the Republic of Hungary, former President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee and Honorary IOC Member Pal Schmitt.
• Thanked them for their outstanding contribution to European sport.

Panel on Marketing, Communications and Social Media:

• Representative from selected NOCs shared their innovative techniques on how to engage a younger audience.
• Highlighted the need for authenticity and frequent refreshing of visual material.
• Explained inventive methods of how to obtain sponsorship from different sources.
• Noted how to acquire additional funds through sponsorship money and value-in-kind.
• Shared different approaches to content.

Report on the EPATHLA Project by Secretary General of Sports | Ministry of Culture and Sport Hellenic Republic George Mavrotas:

• Described how to combat manipulation in sports competitions.
• Noted that International Federations have adopted code of conduct from the IOC.
• Explained the functions of EPATHLA and how they collect information.
• Underlined the processes of the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention).

Report on the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) by the Chair of the EYOF Commission Liney Haldorsdottir:

• Emphasised the benefits that young athletes gain from competing in a multisport event.
• Shared the final report on the success of EYOF Banska Bystrica and explained the plans to leave a legacy for the school children in the community.
• Informed members the viewing figures from the EYOF Banska Bystrica 2022.
• Highlighted key coverage of record-breaking athletes.
• Described the benefits and the legacy from the Winter and Summer EYOFs.
• Explained the process of interviewing, recruiting and training volunteers.

Report on the European Young Ambassadors Programme by the Vice Chair of the EOC Culture & Education Commission Clea Papaellina and EYOA project leader Natasa Jankovic:

• The importance of the European Young Olympic Ambassador programme was highlighted and its great potential to promote values to both athletes and coaches.
• Highlighted expansion of the programme and growth in number of ambassadors and alumni.
• Explained the future goals of the programme.

Report on the 16^th Winter edition of EYOF Friuli Venezia Giulia 2023 by the General Director of the Organising Committee Giorgio Kaidisch and the Chair of the Coordination Commission Borut Kolaric:

• Described the accommodation that will be used for the three Athletes’ Villages.
• Operations are on the way and in the final phase.
• Informed members of sustainability and technology initiatives.
• Explained the benefits of tree replanting and recycled materials used to create uniforms.
• Noted that advanced technology would be used to measure the carbon footprint of the event.

Report on the 17^th Summer edition of EYOF Maribor 2023 by the Director of the Organising Committee Natasa Ritonija and the Chair of the Coordination Commission Guro Lium:

• Explained the meaning of the slogan “One city, one heart”.
• Overview of accommodation facilities.
• Updated members logistical concepts that include bike rentals and bus transportation.
• Informed by Paris 2024 that Chef de Mission Seminar for the Olympic Games will take place on the same week
• Highlighted the challenges still to be overcome such as local elections and elections in the NOC.

Report on The Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) Malta 2023 by Secretary General Kevin Azzopardi:

• On track to deliver at the expected level.
• Revealed the official launch of Games logo and mascot (created by school children) will take place in December.
• Described proximity between sporting venues.
• Disclosed deadline for accreditation and other key dates.