The Chefs de Mission Seminar for the XV Summer Edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) Baku 2019 got underway today in the Azerbaijani capital, with a little over two months to go until the 21-27 July event.

Delegates from over 40 of the 50 European National Olympic Committees (NOCs) whose athletes are expected to compete at the EYOF are in attendance. They will hear from the local organisers on a broad range of organizational topics to help the teams prepare for the leading European multi-sport event for young athletes aged 14 to 18.

The participants were welcomed to the seminar by Minister of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan Azad Rahimov and EOC Coordination Commission Chair Djordje Visacki.

“We firmly believe that the athletes participating in the Baku edition of EYOF are the bright future of Europe that will soon be representing their countries at the highest level of success in sport – the Olympics,” said Rahimov, who is also Deputy Chair of the Baku 2019 Organising Committee. “They are also the messengers of the Olympic spirit and the Olympic Movement for their peers and future generations.”

Vice President of the Azerbaijani National Olympic Committee Chingiz Huseynzade, the Head of the Department for Youth Policy and Sport Issues at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Yusuf Mamedaliyev, and members of the local organising committee were also in attendance. CoCom member Liney Haldórsdóttir and new EOC Sports Director Peter Brüll accompanied Chairman Visacki.

Over the course of the next two days, the organisers will provide updates on the progress of preparations in all operational areas, including athlete accommodation, accreditation, ceremonies and transport operations.

“We keep the interest of the athletes very high on our agenda so that they will have the best possible experience here and it can be used as a stepping stone for their careers,” said Visacki, who doubles as the Secretary General of the NOC of Serbia and is a former Olympic and World Championship rower. “Baku has really come a long way to become one of the premier destinations for sports events in Europe, and the EOC has helped with this legacy first with the inaugural European Games in 2015 and now with the EYOF Baku 2019.”

The delegates will be taken on a venue tour on Day 2 that will include the Athletes’ Village. The EYOF will feature seven days of competition in 10 sports at 12 competition venues, all of which are already existing, making this edition of the EYOF also one of the most sustainable. Wrestling will join the EYOF programme for the first time this year.

Some 3,600 athletes and team officials are expected to take part in Baku 2019, assisted by 2,500 volunteers.