SportMalta was among the national sport bodies gathered in Brussels on 23 June 2026 as Commissioner Glenn Micallef hosted the first-ever #BeActive EU Sport Awards at Bozar. The ceremony recognised projects from across Europe that had worked to promote physical activity, social inclusion and community engagement through sport. As Maltaâs National Coordinating Body for the European Week of Sport, SportMalta also took part in an implementation dialogue with the Commissioner, an opportunity for national bodies to discuss how the initiative was being taken forward in their respective countries.
A New Recognition Scheme for European Sport
The #BeActive EU Sport Awards brought together what were previously two separate European recognition schemes into a single framework spanning five categories: Physical Activity, Inclusion, Volunteering, Across Generations, and Peace. This yearâs edition drew a record 279 applications, from which an independent jury selected 15 finalists. Category winners each received âŽ15,000, with the remaining finalists awarded âŽ5,000. The ceremony coincided with Olympic Day, marked globally on 23 June.
The Winners
Portugalâs MunicÃpio de Oeiras took the Physical Activity award for its Fit Senior programme, which brought structured exercise to older adults to support their wellbeing and reduce social isolation. Sloveniaâs Planinska Zveza Slovenije won in the Inclusion category for its inPlaninec project, which adapted mountain hiking to make it accessible to people with disabilities. In the Volunteering category, United Way MagyarorszÃĄg from Hungary was recognised for its Flow and Learn programme, which used movement and physical activity within educational settings to support children with ADHD or learning difficulties.
Croatiaâs Trkacki klub âMarathon 95â VaraÅūdin received the Across Generations award for the Drava Cross League, a running programme that brought people of different ages together around a shared sense of community. The Peace category went to Associazione Internazionale New Humanity in Italy for Run4Unity, a cross-border relay initiative in which young participants across time zones connected through sport and shared cultural exchange.
An Evening of Recognition and Reflection
The ceremony was opened by Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General of DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. A fireside conversation between Commissioner Micallef and Cyprusâ Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelidou, explored the wider social contribution of sport. Professional basketball player SÃĐbastien Bellin, who survived the 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks, also addressed the gathering, speaking on resilience and the capacity of sport to shape character beyond physical performance.
Looking Ahead
SportMaltaâs presence in Brussels, both at the ceremony and in the policy dialogue, reflected its continued engagement with European sport frameworks. With the European Week of Sport approaching in September, the organisation would draw on the experience from this visit as it developed the national programme. The awards, in their first full edition, had set a clear benchmark for best practice across the continent, and Maltaâs participation in the wider European conversation around sport and physical activity remained an important part of that effort.
