European University Sports Association (EUSA), with its Institute, welcomed three international European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteers into the office, joining the team in Ljubljana for the period of 1 year.

The EUSA staff is pleased to have been joined by Lili Urvari from Hungary, Elena Fazzi from Italy and Balthazar Ilacqua from Italy. These three young individuals will learn, assist and experience the daily EUSA activities in the EUSA Office and especially work and learn from the process of preparing and executing the 2027 season of the European Universities Championships. 

We are pleased to introduce our three new volunteers:

Elena Fazzi

I’m Elena. I am 24 years old, and I come from Sicily, Italy. I have just completed my Master’s degree in Sport Management, a milestone that turned my lifelong passion for sports into my professional direction. Sports have always defined my journey, with one hand on basketball and the other on futsal (since I am a goalkeeper). I started out as an athlete representing my university, an experience that also allowed me to compete in international university tournaments, before later taking on the role of sports director for the university women's futsal project. Experiencing this world from both perspectives sparked a passion, which soon turned into a career, for university sports event organisation at both national and international levels, while turning me into an enthusiast for cultural exchange, travelling, and exploring new languages and traditions.

There is truly nothing that inspires and moves me more than seeing students excel with dedication both in their studies and in sports. Knowing that the commitment, resilience, and victories achieved on the court will shape their professional future gives me the certainty that tomorrow is truly in great hands. This deep belief naturally led me to EUSA.

Beyond the fascinating dimension of international competitions, I chose EUSA especially for its commitment to social projects, which I strongly believe must always go hand in hand with sport. Being here in Ljubljana is an extraordinary opportunity to contribute both to event organisation and to these value-driven initiatives, while growing within a multicultural team. I am ready to make the most of this year, learn Slovenian, and build an essential stepping stone for my future!

A heartfelt thank you to EUSA for welcoming me, and to my sending organisation, CSS Forlì, for supporting me on this journey.

Balthazar Ilacqua 

I’m Balthazar, I come from Italy and I’m 26 years old. Since I was a child, I have always had a special connection with sport, always waiting for the next event, always pushing my parents and friends to watch «the potentially best match of the season», as I frequently still tell them. I am deeply passionate about football, cycling and tennis, which I practice too. And I love hiking.

My strong interest in sport became the subject of both my bachelor’s and master’s thesis. Firstly, I graduated in Historical Studies at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Using the 1934 Men’s World Cup as case study, my thesis tried to deepen knowledge on sport as an instrument of propaganda and mass control under the Fascist regime. Afterwards, I moved to Pisa, where I graduated in Contemporary history. My master’s thesis was devoted to gender verification in major sporting events, with a special focus on the last decades’ ethical conundrum about testosterone levels and transgender athletes.

I hope that these matters will be part of my future job. Therefore, when I googled EUSA for the first time, I found myself glad and impressed to see their strong engagement to social issues. I think that sport can be a big driver for sharing common values, such as equality, respect, solidarity and pluralism.  

I hope that this experience will enhance my practical commitment to social issues – especially gender equality and inclusion – and that it will allow me to discover new fields of study, thinking and action.  I’d like to thank my sending organisation – CSS Forlì – for always supporting me.

Lili Urvari

I’m Lili, I’m 28 years old and I’m from Hungary. I studied Communication with a Business Minor at San Jose State University. Later, I completed my MSc in Sports Management from GBSB Global Business School.

Sports have always been a huge part of my life. I played water polo for many years and had the opportunity to play as a professional athlete in several European countries. While playing, I wanted to learn more about the business side of major international events, which motivated me to volunteer at the 2024 Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest and the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin.

In my free time, I love travelling and exploring different cultures. I also enjoy running, attending live sports events, and supporting women working in the sports industry.

I wanted to join EUSA because it offers the perfect environment for me to observe, learn, and gain true hands-on experience in how international sports events are run. During my time in Slovenia, I hope to soak up as much knowledge as possible from the team, explore the country, and grow both professionally and personally. I also want to thank my sending organisation, Youth Bridges Budapest, for supporting me on this journey.

EUSA Institute is an accredited organisation with a Quality Label for the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), previously the European Commission's European Voluntary Service (EVS), financed by the European Union. In Slovenia, the programme is coordinated by the National Agency Movit. If you are a young person (18-30), check out the ESC volunteering opportunities which are available to you!