From June 5 to 7, EUSA delegation took part in the second edition of the European Youth and Sport Platform, organized by ENGSO Youth in Munich and hosted by the German Sports Youth (dsj). 

The event aimed to provide a space where young voices could express their ideas and contribute to shaping the decisions made by key institutions in the field. Over 150 young participants from across Europe gathered to reflect and exchange perspectives on the future of youth in sport through a variety of interactive formats.

The event was opened by ENGSO Youth Delegate Sara Yasin, who introduced the program for the coming days. Welcoming speeches were delivered by ENGSO Vice President Filipa Godinho, ENGSO Youth Chair Ugnė Chmeliauskaitė, and German Sports Youth Vice Chair Kirsten Hasenpusch, each setting a vibrant and engaging tone for the sessions ahead. Throughout the event, Coline Robin visually documented the discussions with a live graphic recording.

On the first day, Christoph Rapp, Head of Sales & Marketing at ISPO Group, delivered a keynote titled "Youth and Sport in a Trending World", exploring how data can be used as a solution-oriented tool in sport.

The day continued with two concurrent workshops. In the first, sports content creator Nancy Baker addressed the theme "Sportfluencers: Why Do We Collect Followers in Sport?". She highlighted the importance of visibility for women’s sports and the power of role models on social media.

At the same time, Christopher Jackson, Head of Digital Data and Analytics for the Olympics, led a session titled "Fan-Based Database: A Chance for Sports to Become Part of Everyday Life?". He discussed the use of AI to better target audiences for sports media coverage, sparking an engaging exchange of views among participants. The day concluded with a traditional German dinner and a lively quiz about German culture and sport.

The second day began with some outdoor physical activity. Participants joined a nature walk and run as part of the "Move4Nature" initiative by ENGSO Youth, a refreshing and active way to start the day.

The first session featured Erik van Haaren, Sport Psychologist at the Dutch Olympic Committee, who gave a keynote titled "Does Sport Life Resemble a TV Series?". He encouraged participants to reflect on the importance of mental health and the need to normalize conversations around it, just like any other performance-related topic.

The YouMind project was highlighted for its innovative and inclusive approach to supporting mental well-being among young people. 

Participants then chose between two workshops: Luca Wernert, board member of German Sports Youth, led "Making People Move: Campaigning for Sports and Mental Health", and Florian Maußer from Special Olympics Germany presented "Mental Health is a Team Sport: How Inclusive Tandems Support Youth Wellbeing in Sport."

Both workshops fostered active participation, group discussion, and solution-oriented thinking around pressing topics.

Later, Bence Garamvölgyi, Managing Director of Budapest Sports Service Provider Nonprofit Ltd., gave a dynamic talk on "Sport Technology: Striving for Sustainability or Results?", confronting the challenges of climate change in grassroots sports.

Again, participants could choose between two sessions: Sara Koenig and Marisa Schlenker from the Adidas Foundation led "Uniting Communities Through Sport", highlighting how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can support grassroots initiatives. The other one was led by Dr. Ben Sanders, Executive Director of the International Platform for Sport and Development, hosted "Beyond Europe: Sustainable Sport Actions with the Global South", prompting participants to think globally and build transnational connections.

After the session, group reflection played a crucial role in reinforcing the workshop's impact. Participants openly shared their experiences, connected the sessions to real-life challenges in their communities, and explored how sport can serve as a unifying force. These reflective moments fostered deeper understanding, highlighted shared values, and helped shape a collective vision for building more inclusive and connected communities through sport.

The evening featured a vibrant exhibition fair. At the event, EUSA was represented by a big delegation consisting of Andrej Pisl, Director of Project and Policy, Hristina Hristova, Projects and Communications Officer, Marta Studzinska, Education Officer, Kinga Gaal, EUSA Intern, ESC Volunteers: Milia Molinie, Jan Hussu and Markus Schneider as well as Student Commission Members: Franciska Coko, Reka Molnar and Jan Sobczak. 

Partners showcased their work through interactive activities: ISCA volunteers energized the crowd with a collaborative game, IGLYO ran a quiz on how to better include gender-diverse athletes in sports, while EUSA’s European Solidarity Corps volunteers, Jan, Markus, and Milia, offered a fun quiz helping participants identify their ideal role in sports volunteering.

The day wrapped up with a beach volleyball tournament, where the EUSA team, made up of volunteers, interns, and Student Commission members, proudly placed 3rd, showing both skill and strong team spirit!

The third and final day opened with another Move4Nature walk/run, keeping the momentum going. It was followed by a final round table titled "European Youth and Sport Together: Bridging the Youth Representation Gap in Sport Decision-Making", moderated by Tiago Guilherme.

This important session welcomed notable speakers, including Sophie Kwasny, Head of the Sport Division at the Council of Europe and EPAS Executive Secretary; Amélie Waters, IGLYO Policy Officer, and Tom Matthew, Board Member of the European Youth Forum.
The roundtable facilitated meaningful dialogue between decision-makers and youth organizations, focusing on youth engagement, representation, and shared capacity-building, essential themes for the sector's future. After the roundtable, a little bit of competition was introduced through an online quiz about sports and European institutions: an engaging way to get acquainted and/or refresh participants’ knowledge about the European Union’s programmes and structural tools about sport’s governance.

To close the event, the “Youth and Sport Network” provided a final platform for partner organizations. On this occasion, Marta Studzinska, Education Officer at EUSA, presented the upcoming EUSA Championships and highlighted EUSA’s current projects.

In conclusion, the second edition of the European Youth and Sport Platform was a remarkable opportunity to bring together diverse stakeholders from the youth and grassroots sports sectors. Young participants were not only heard, but they were also empowered to help shape actionable change. Their passion and commitment showed that young people are ready to lead, engage, and speak up, not in the future, but now.

The Platform felt like a living laboratory of ideas and collaboration. The EUSA team warmly congratulates ENGSO Youth for organizing such a successful event, and we’re already looking forward to the next edition!

For more information, please see https://engsoyouth.eu/eysp-2025/