November - December N.187
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201 8 EOC Head Office | Villino Giulio Onesti | Via della Pallacanestro, 19 00135 Rome, Italy | Tel. +39 06 36857828 | Instagram | Twitter | [email protected] www.eurolympic.org NOVEMBER - DECEMBER N.187 MESSAGE FROM EOC PRESIDENT JANEZ KOCIJANČIČ Dear colleagues, Thank you to all 50 of our European National Olympic Committees for attending the 47th EOC General Assembly in Marbella, Spain in November. I think we can all agree that it was a productive and informative two days of meetings and gave us all an opportunity to ready ourselves for the activities coming next year. During the Assembly, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and I both spoke about the pressing need to do more to safeguard the European Sports Model, which is the bedrock on which our entire Olympic Movement rests. As President Bach said in Marbella: sport is so much more than business. There is a significant social value that we must use to our advantage. Sport can and does have a profound positive impact on individuals, communities and society in general. Sport is linked to a reduction in a number of illnesses. It fosters unity between peoples, boosts confidence, teaches teamwork and enhances self-esteem. It encourages volunteerism. The list of benefits goes on and on. This is why the Olympic Movement works daily to ensure that sport is open to all, regardless of age, race or background. It is why 90 percent of Olympic revenues are redistributed back into sport and it is why we are all working hard to ensure that continues in the future. There is no denying that the European Sports Model benefits European society. Unfortunately, the purely market-based model is threatening our entire system, which left to its own devices would result in a reduction in financing for grassroots sports, smaller sports and novice athletes. I am a firm believer that it is all well and good to discuss the issues facing sport and our organisations, but without taking any action, the talk is meaningless. So I would like to call on all of you to take concrete steps to protect and promote our European Sports Model and the Olympic values in your countries and across Europe. We will continue to bring this serious issue to the attention of the European Union and other continental authorities. We ask that you do the same in your countries, with your governments. Every action on your part, no matter how small, will be of benefit to our common European interests. Best regards, Janez Kocijančič EOC President 2018 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER EOC Newsletter EOC November was a crucial month for the EOC, with all 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) gathering at our annual General Assembly in Marbella on 9-10 November to discuss relevant topics centred on European sport. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and EOC President Janez Kocijančič delivered a strong message on the preservation of the European Sports Model, which is based on solidarity, inclusivity and volunteering. The delegates were welcomed to Marbella by Spanish NOC President and host of the event Alejandro Blanco and Secretary General Victoria Cabezas. They heard from the organisers of next year’s European Games in Minsk, Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) in Montenegro, and Winter and Summer editions of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Sarajevo & East Sarajevo and Baku, respectively. Other highlights of the gathering included the election of Andrzej Krasnicki (POL) as European Representative for the ANOC Executive Council, while Laura Stigger (AUT) was named the winner of the 8th edition of the Summer Piotr Nurowski Best European Young Athlete prize. She beat a strong field of finalists that also included canoeist Eva Alina Hocevar (SLO) and swimmer Ajna Kesely (HUN), who finished joint second, and tennis player Iga Światek (POL) and track cyclist Jakub Stastny (Czech Republic), who finished joint fourth. In addition, the northern Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia was confirmed as the host city of the 2023 Winter EYOF. Other distinguished personalities from the Olympic Movement were acknowledged for their long-lasting commitment and outstanding contribution to sport in Europe: former EOC Executive Committee (EC) Member and Vice President Alexander Kozlovsky (RUS) was awarded the EOC Order of Merit, along with Prof. Peter Schröcksnadel (AUT), Emmanuel Katsiadakis (GRE), Ellert Schram (ISL), Jean-Louis Margue (LUX), José Vicente Moura (POR), and Jansug Bagrationi (GEO) who received the European Olympic Laurel Award. On the eve of the 47th General Assembly, the EOC and European University Sports Association (EUSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement was signed in Marbella on 9 November by EOC President Kocijančič and Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi and their EUSA counterparts Adam Roczek and Matjaž Pečovnik. The MoU outlines an agreement to strengthen the partnership between the two organisations, with the goal of working together to promote sport and physical activities in Europe, preserve the European Sports Model and implement projects on social responsibility. A special focus will be put on students in higher education, supporting the policy makers and providing relevant knowhow in the development of sport and higher education. At the end of the EOC General Assembly, an agreement was signed with Polish Olympic Committee President Andrzej Krasnicki and Secretary General Adam Krzesinski, confirming that Warsaw, Poland will be the host city of the 48th EOC General Assembly, which will take place from 25-26 October 2019 on occasion of the NOC’s 100th anniversary. 2 2018 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER EOC Newsletter The EOC was also represented at the XXIII ANOC General Assembly in Tokyo from 28-29 November, led by EOC President Kocijančič, Vice President Niels Nygaard and Secretary General Pagnozzi, who are also part of the ANOC EC. The European Olympic movement was also represented in Tokyo by five women: Women and Sport Commission Member Kseniya Sankovich (BLR), International Projects Manager Andrea Toth (HUN), International Relations Department Director Vaida Masalskyte (LTU), Executive Coordinator Kubra Yildirim (TUR), and Executive Board Member and President of the Olympic Academy Mariia Bulatova (UKR). The EOC President was also in Paris, where he took part in the celebrations of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) 105th Anniversary on 9 December. Representing the Olympic movement of Europe, Kocijančič was amongst the honourable guests who commemorated 105 years since FIE foundation at the Grand Palais in the French capital. COMMISSIONS The last Commission to meet this year was the Environment and Sport for All Commission, which gathered on the eve of the EOC General Assembly in Marbella. After welcoming addresses by Chair Gian Primo Giardi (SMR) and EOC EC Liaison Member Andrzej Krasnicki (POL), the members discussed a series of issues related to environment protection, sustainable development, as well as the challenges of non-profit Sport in Europe and the growing phenomena of - esports. Finally, they planned their activities for the quadrennium 2018- 2021, with a particular focus on the initiatives to be implemented for European Games and EYOFs. Still in Marbella, all the Chairs of the EOC Commissions and Working Group reported to the General Assembly on the activities carried out so far and their plans for the future. EUROPEAN GAMES FLAME LIGHTING CEREMONY - At the General Assembly in Marbella, the EOC and Minsk European Games Organising Committee (MEGOC) announced the dates of the “Flame of Peace” Torch Relay and the Lighting Ceremony for the European Games, which are scheduled for 21-30 June 2019 in Minsk, Belarus. The Flame Lighting Ceremony and the start of the Torch Relay will take place at the historical and emblematic monument “Ara Pacis” in Rome on 3 May 2019. The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin, "Altar of Augustan Peace") is an altar located in the Italian capital dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of Peace. The monument was commissioned by the Roman Senate on 4 July 13 BC to honor the return of Augustus to Rome after three years in Hispania and Gaul. It was consecrated on 30 January 9 BC. From there the athletes of the Belarusian Climbing and Mountaineering Federation will bring the Flame of Peace to the top of Mont Blanc on 4—7 May 2019. After that the Flame of the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019 will travel to Belarus by road, passing through several European countries. An official presentation of the Torch Relay symbols, the Flame of Peace and the olive branch, will be held in each country. The Flame of Peace Torch Relay is one of the most inclusive and celebratory elements of the European Games. The aim of the Torch Relay is to promote the values of sport — peace, unity and friendship — through the Flame of Peace. 3 2018 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER EOC Newsletter MASCOT - The 2nd European Games mascot was unveiled in Minsk, Belarus on 29 November. The mascot is a baby fox named Lesik who wants to make new friends all over the world and teach many lessons along the way. He has a red hat (which represents vigor), white and green shirt (harmony), black shorts (discipline and determination), blue shoes (invincibility of his character), and yellow fur (cheerfulness). These are also the colours of the Paparats Kvetka (fern flower) design on the logo of the European Games in Minsk! Lesik arrived in Minsk on a mission to make new friends after he heard the story of a legendary flower called the Paparats Kvetka that could make all his dreams come true. Belarus was far away from Lesik’s home, but he decided that if was to find true friendship, he would have to make the journey and find the flower. He now has many friends and wants to make even more! He invites everyone around the world to visit him in Belarus and to see the Paparats Kvetka in person.