It-Tnejn filgħodu l-Prim Ministru Robert Abela akkumpanjat mis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport Clifton Grima, inawgura t-tieni fażi tal-proġett ta’ aktar minn miljun ewro fil-Padiljun tal-Basketball f’Ta’ Qali.

Ix-xogħlijiet tat-tieni fażi kienu jinkludu it-twaqqigħ tal-istrutturi interni u bini mill-ġdid ta’ l-istands biex issa din il-facilita’ għandha kapjenza ta` 1100 sit bilqegħda.  Barra a minn hekk saru dressing rooms ġodda u anke uffiċini ġodda għall-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Baskitbol.  Dan ikomplimentaw ix-xogħlijiet tal-ewwel fażi li kienu jinkludu titjib fl-istruttura oriġinali tal-azzar u tal-binja minn barra.

Fid-diskors tiegħu l-Prim Ministru Abela qal kemm huwa mportanti li nrawmu l-valur tal-isport fit-tfal tagħna. Huwa nnota kif dan l-investiment għamel l-arena aċċessibli anke għall-persuni b’diżabilità li jistgħu issa jipprattikaw il-baskitbol f’Ta’ Qali.

Dr Abela qal li rridu nemmnu f’dak li nwettqu biex il-livell dejjem jitla’ ‘l quddiem. Semma kif din hija parti mill-viżjoni ta’ dan il-Gvern għall-għaxar snin li ġejjin u li ninsabu ffukati li naraw liż-żgħażagħ jitilgħu ‘l fuq f’dan il-qasam u kull qasam ieħor.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Clifton Grima qal kif l-isport għandu impatt pożittiv fuq il-ħajja u s-soċjetà tagħna. Saħaq kif il-livell għoli ta’ sport f’pajjiżna qed iħalli l-frott tiegħu anke f’pajjiżi barra minn Malta.

Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ SportMalta, Mark Cutajar semma kif dan il-Gvern jimpurtah mill-isport u dan juruh id-diversi proġetti li qed isiru f’dan il-qasam madwar Malta u Għawdex kollha.  Cutajar radd ħajr lill-ħaddiema ta` SportMalta li għalkemm fl-2020 għaddew minn perjodu diffiċli, xorta laħqu l-miri tagħhom għal din is-sena.  Huwa semma li l-għaqal tal-entita’ għamel possibli li l-proġetti jitkompklew kif ukoll li l-assistenzi mogħtija din is-sena kienu ukoll rekord.  Huwa għamel ringrazzjament speċjali liċ-Ċermen Luciano Busuttil u l-ħaddiema għax-xoghol imprezzabli tagħhom.

Summer on the Move has opened its doors to the 17th edition.   In somewhat unique circumstances that the entire world faced, it is highly encouraging that over 2000 children and adults will be taking part in a wide variety of activities.  As expected, swimming and other aquatic activities top the list as they remain the most popular year after year.  The programme is offered in SportMalta’s main sport complexes as well as in some schools and sport clubs such as the Vikings Sailing Club where for another year, sailing courses for children and adults will be held.  Children in Gozo will also be served with sessions held in Rabat.

Over the years, many took the opportunity to try out a new sport during Summer on the Move and eventually kept practising ever since.  Indeed, this 8-week programme intends to inspire children and adults to take up sport on a regular basis, as part of the winter programme or by joining a club.  The morning programme offers up to 6 hours of sport and physical activity a day and includes different sports and swimming.  This ensures that all children have a positive experience when participating in sport.  An important outcome of the programme is that of instilling a sense of enthusiasm towards sport and physical activity, encouraging children and adults to understand the health benefits of participating throughout life, which in itself is an important pillar of SportMalta’s mission as part of the #BeActive campaign.

The awards competition is open for entries until 24 July 2020 (5pm Brussels local time).

About the #BeActive Awards

The #BeActive Awards competition is a central element of the annual European Week of Sport and has been created to support projects and individuals dedicated to the promotion of sport and physical activity across Europe. The awards have three categories:

#BEACTIVE EDUCATION AWARD

This award is intended to throw the spotlight on an educational setting that can demonstrate concrete ways in which it encouraged its kids to #BeActive in addition to the sport/physical activity classes in the standard curriculum. This could include extra sport activities, physically active class days out, after school activities, and other creative solutions to form an active education environment.

#BEACTIVE WORKPLACE AWARD

This award is intended to accolade a workplace that can demonstrate specific ways in which it has encouraged and helped its employees to #BeActive. This could include setting up a staff taskforce responsible for promoting physical activity, provision of showers for cycling/running commuters, standing meetings, lunchtime walks and other creative solutions to form an active working environment.

#BEACTIVE LOCAL HERO AWARD

This award honours an individual achievement to motivate others and act as a catalyst to #BeActive. The spirit of the award aims to recognising an individual who has worked consistently to promote participation in sport and/or physical activity in his or her local community.

Entries for each of these categories are to be submitted to the European Commission by National Coordinating Bodies of the European Week of Sport. Focusing on educational establishments and workplaces, as well as individuals in local communities, the awards competition contributes to the local and human dimension of the Week, while showcasing best-practice projects, and introducing inspiring individuals, to a Pan-European audience.

How to submit your nominations for the awards

National Coordinating Bodies can identify and submit projects. Along with this document, you have received three sets of forms comprising an explanation of each award category, and an entry form for each award category.

You can choose to complete the entry form(s) yourself, or pass on the entry form(s) and one page explanation(s), to an eligible organisation or person to complete and send back to you.

TAKE PART!

Send your submissions by 24 july 2020 to eac-sport-ewos@ec.europa.euand help us inspire people of all ages, backgrounds and fitness levels across europe to #BEACTIVE!

RULES – #BeActive Award 2020 Rules

On the 3^rd of July 2020 the kick off meeting was held for a transnational project which will analyse and promote skills and workforce development in the European sport sector. The project is called “Continuing the journey towards a skilled workforce for the sport and physical activity sector in Europe” and will be known as the “SKILLS” project.

SKILLS is being funded under Erasmus+ Sport as a Small Collaborative Partnership across the years 2020 and 2021.

SKILLS is a follow up to the successful ESSA-Sport project which took place from 2016 – 2019 which analysed the sport labour market and produced reports and action plans towards skills and workforce development at the national and European level (All final outputs on www.essa-sport.eu).

The SKILLS Initiative will ensure continuity and maintain the momentum in researching, networking, implementing actions and improving skills in the sport sector in Europe.

In particular, the work programme of the SKILLS project include to:

• Gather and analyse labour market statistics for 2019 and 2020, sharing updated statistics on the size and characteristics of the sport labour market in Europe (this will be particularly interesting to see the effect of Covid-19 in employment data)
• Monitor the implementation of national strategic action plans from the ESSA-Sport project (producing a copendium of good practice examples)
• Identify and raise awareness of the realities and trends of the sector in terms of skills needs and challenges (producing a summary paper on skills needs and challenges in the sector).
• Promote and encourage dialogue and networking on the topic of skills and workforce development (organising an annual workship gathering European sport organisations)

The kick off meeting introduced the project to partners and clarified their role. EOSE also updated partners on the work achieved so far including a meeting with Eurostat about the collection of employment data.

The next partner meeting is planned for October 2020 either in Croatia or online, as the health situation in Europe allows.

At a press conference held at Pretty Bay, Birzebbuga Chairperson of The Marigold Foundation, Michelle Muscat launched the sixth edition of the annual swimming challenge.  The challenge that will be held on Saturday 11th July, 2020, will this year take a different form. Michelle Muscat will embark on a swimathon in the sea and will involve the participation of the general public who are invited to come for a swim and donate in aid of The Marigold Foundation.  This event will also be open to people with mobility challenges with an accessibility lane leading to the sea and a number of floating wheel chairs and hoists available throughout the day.

The Aquatic Sports Association  will also be participating in this swimathon involving all waterpolo players who will be doing the swimathon at District5 pool.

Persons of all ages including children are invited to join the swimathon in the sea against a €10 donation swimming different lengths according to everyone’s ability within safe parametres.  Those who wish to participate and also enjoy the acquatic fun park can do so against a €20 donation.  Early registrations are encouraged from:

The Meeting Place in Marsa , Tal-Qroqq National Pool, Cottonera Sport Complex, Kirkop Sport Complex, Birzebbugia Local Council or message on The Marigold Foundation Facebook.

Music and entertainment will be available on the beach making this swimathon a fun activity for the general public.

This event is following all health regulations guidelines currently in place.

For more information send us a message on The Marigold Foundation Facebook Page or call on 99912373.

The objective of The Marigold Foundation is to positively empower people and to work with them to raise standards, support initiatives and strengthen voices.  Operating at both a macro and micro level, The Marigold Foundation is the link in the community that helps on a variety of levels and across various spheres. The Foundation’s overarching aim is the constant development of our community, addressing specific aspects of it, such as social behaviour, health issues, special needs and education.  The Foundation does not help individual cases as does eg the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, but supports other NGOs working in these fields (ie health, education, social and special needs) whether already established, in their infancy or need help to set up their organisation.

Every year in September, millions of sports professionals, enthusiasts, experts and associations from across Europe and beyond come together to take part in one of the biggest sport initiatives in the world: the European Week of Sport.

Led by the European Commission and co-organised by national coordinators and sport partners all over Europe, the event promotes an active lifestyle through a variety of celebrations and events.

In 2019, the 5th European Week of Sport will be the biggest ever, with events supported by 47 partner associations in 41 countries. The event is for everyone – regardless of age, background or fitness level – and helps individuals, public authorities, the sport movement, civil society organisations and the private sector collaborate in the field of sport.

After the successful campaign #BeActiveAtHome, where SportMalta continued to promote the idea of a healthy lifestyle through the past difficult months due to the Covid-19 situation, SportMalta will continue to fly the #BeActive flag as an important aspect of our mission, that of moving a nation through sport and physical activity.

Our projects for this year will be re-modelled and designed to the new norm, but still, they will be fun and inspiring. We will be launching the events calendar by August. Until then we also want to hear from you about any ideas or projects you and your organisation might have. Get in touch with our National Coordinator Rosemarie Mercieca rose-marie.mercieca@sportmalta.org.mt.

Ħarġu l-ewwel sejħiet għall-offerti biex fil-Marsa jibda x-xogħol għall-iżvilupp ta’ ċentru sportiv ta’ livell internazzjonali. Il-Gvern se jinvesti €9 miljun, bis-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport, Clifton Grima, jgħid li dawn il-faċilitajiet iridu jkunu lesti sa tliet snin oħra meta f’Malta se jsiru l-Logħob tal-Pajjiżi ż-Żgħar.

60 tomna art fiż-żona biswit it-trakka tal-atletika fil-Marsa se tinbidel f’ċentru sportiv ta’ livell internazzjonali b’investiment mill-Gvern ta’ €9 miljun. L-investiment jinkludi l-bini tal-ewwel ċentru għall-ġinnastika, faċilità tal-isquash u r-restawr ta’ binja ta’ żmien l-Ingliżi li se tinbidel f’uffiċini u ristorant. Il-proġetti jinkludi wkoll il-bini ta’ uffiċini għall-federazzjonijiet tar-rugby, in-netball u l-baseball.

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima announces the restoration of 1903 building

Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ SportMalta, Mark Cutajar, qal li l-pjan hu li dan il-proġett jitlesta fis-sentejn li ġejjin biex l-atleti Maltin ikollhom fejn jitħarrġu għal-Logħob tal-Pajjiżi ż-Żgħar fl-2023 li se jsiru f’Malta.

“Faċilità tal-isquash li hi importanti għalina b’mod partikolari għal-Logħob tal-Pajjiżi ż-Żgħar għax l-isquash hu wieħed mill-isport li qed nistennew il-midalji u flimkien magħha se jkun hemm faċilità tal-weightlifting kif ukoll fitness centre li tissuplixxi l-atleti kollha Maltin,” qal il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ SportMalta, Mark Cutajar.

Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport, Clifton Grima, qal li dan il-proġett jidħol kexxun mal-istrateġija tal-Gvern li l-pajjiż ikun kalamita għal niċċa turistika ġdida.

“Bħala pajjiż inkunu kapaċi nospitaw events ta’ portata internazzjonali u allura hemmhekk nerġa’ ntenni l-importanza li l-isport għandu f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mat-turiżmu sportiv,” qal is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Isport, Clifton Grima.

Dr Grima qal li fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin se jħabbar aktar investimenti f’dixxiplini sportivi oħrajn fosthom l-atletika.