Sport connecting young people - 12WS22427

Sport is an empowering action, both physical and mental, that "naturally" brings people together, also from different countries. Young people use sport as an universal language: with its rules, which are the same for all, it makes it easier to spend time together, even when you come from different countries and cultures. Sport is a healthy form of competition that can easily become a means of communication. It is more important than ever that, at this historical moment, young people meet and share ideas.

FAIC is a non-profit international association, set up in 1999, open to Municipalities in the Adriatic-Ionian basin. The aim of the Association, based in Ancona (Italy), is to create a space for intercultural dialogue and political mediation and to foster a peaceful Adriatic and Ionian community. Over the years, FAIC has strengthened relations and enhanced cooperation with its members, with the aim of supporting its target group: young people from the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion.

For this reason, FAIC has been working with the Municipality of Ancona to organise the YOUTH GAMES and with the Municipality of Durres on the EUSAIR4YOUTH project. FAIC has supported the exchange of best practice between the two cities.

YOUTH GAMES is an international initiative created in 2014 by the Municipality of Ancona, in cooperation with the FAIC. The Youth Games have now become a regular event for the Adriatic Ionian Macroregion, a physical format also organised in 2022, on a smaller scale, by the Municipality of Durres. EUSAIR4YOUTH is a project that proposes a 3x3 basketball competition between young people coming from the EUSAIR Countries.

In our workshop, we would like to show what has been done (we will present some videos and photos of past editions, where some of the participants might recognise themselves!) and what we would like to do in the future to strengthen the role of young people in the international context of the Macroregion. The "inventor" of the Youth Games will be invited to present the history of the games: having taken place four times, with at least 10 disciplines per edition, the sport event has seen the participation of thousands of young athletes. The "present" of the Games will be presented by a representative of the Municipality of Durres, which in september 2022 will organise the 3x3 basketball competition. The future of the initiative will be presented by a representative of FAIC, who will talk about the future prospects.

In addition:

- a young athlete selected from the Durres Youth Games will be invited to recount his or her experience;

- we will listen to the voices of former participants, through short "video testimonials".

The workshop aims to showcase the best practice of the Youth Games, which can easily be replicated as a means of cooperation, intercultural dialogue and fraternity between different countries.