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Held at the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Brussels on 21 November 2025, the ALLSTARS Conference brought together policymakers from across Europe to discuss how local networks can provide sport and physical activities for all. The ALLSTARS project has focused on identifying and analysing successful local sport policies that promote inclusion and active lifestyles. Its objective has been to explore how local initiatives and governance structures can increase participation in sport. The final conference showcased the project’s findings, shared inspiring examples, and convened policymakers, sport organisations and community actors to discuss future opportunities for inclusive sport at the local level. Opening Remarks The conference opened with welcoming remarks from ENGSO Youth Chair Alessia De Iulis, who emphasised the importance of inclusion and ensuring access to sport for people from all walks of life. First Session: Research Findings The first session featured presentations from the research team behind the project “ALLSTARS – Good Practices for Active Lifestyles in Local Sports Policies.” Each participating country shared key findings such as the high relevance of socio-spatial orientation and the importance of cross-sector cooperation in promoting inclusion, accessibility and active lifestyles. The experts included: During an inspiring networking lunch break, participants had the chance to exchange experiences, ideas and gather more information on the good-practice-projects. Following the networking lunch, an interactive session explored the question: “What do networks need from European institutions in terms of CONTEXTS, ACTORS and PROCESSES?” Participants were invited to share questions and remarks via a Mentimeter and vote on them – the statements with the most votes were taken over to the panel discussion in the third session of the event. High-Level Panel Discussion The conference concluded with a high-level panel moderated by Prof. Jürgen Mittag featuring expert guests: Stanislas Frossard, Head of the Council of Europe’s Sport Division – Speaking from the Council of Europe angle, Mr. Frossard stressed: Hebe Schaillée, Professor, Sport & Society Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Prof. Schaillée offered an academic and societal lens, highlighting: Katarzyna Biniaszczyk, Accredited Assistant to MEP Zdrojewski. Representing the European Parliament perspective, Ms. Biniaszczyk highlighted: Iñaki Iturrioz, Head of the Sports Service of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Spain – Bringing a regional implementation perspective, Mr. Iturrioz emphasised: The ALLSTARS Conference successfully highlighted how local initiatives can drive inclusion, foster active lifestyles, and strengthen the collaboration needed to make sport accessible for all. About ALLSTARS project ALLSTARS – Good practice For Active Life Styles in Local Sport Policies is an EU-funded research project that runs from 2024-2026. It is dedicated to describing and understanding inspiring sport projects and programmes that manage well in catering sport for all on a local level. What kind of networks lead to a more inclusive sports practice?  Which common features can be depicted in otherwise very different projects?  How can municipalities contribute to sport and physical activities for people who are not or do not feel addressed by the regular sport club?  Which role do sport clubs play in this? ALLSTARS aims at both, giving answers to these questions, as well as enabling people from sport organisations and municipal administration to get hands-on information, network opportunities and inspiration.

On September 12th, the German Sport University Cologne’s Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies (IESF), coordinator of the EU-funded ALLSTARS – Good Practice for Active Lifestyles in Local Sport Policiesproject, hosted a national dissemination workshop titled “Die Stadt, der Sport und der Rand” – The City, Sport, and Marginalised Groups. The event aimed to highlight municipal sports policies that promote “sport for all” and support the integration and participation of marginalised and often underrepresented segments of society. The research team shared the results of their work to date and presented practical examples, which were subsequently discussed with participants. Insights from the broader European context enriched the workshop, particularly through our guest speaker Nathan Geurink from the Mulier Instituut, who provided an overview of the Dutch context. The workshop concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Nora Hespers, featuring Daniela Schneckenburger (Deutscher Städtetag), Pia Strohmeyer (RheinFlanke), Sonny Weishaupt (Landes Sportbund Niedersachsen e.V.), and Volker Anneken (Gold-Kraemer-Stiftung). The discussion painted a comprehensive picture of municipal sports policy and its stakeholders, focusing on both the challenges and the contributions of sports to the integration of marginalised communities.

ALLSTARS, Good Practice for Active Lifestyles in Local Sports Policies – Governing the integration of marginalised groups in sports, is a new Erasmus+ collaborative partnership which, under the coordination of the GSU German Sport University, will put special emphasis on identifying and analysing successful local sport policies for enhanced sport participation. The ALLSTARS project first meeting took place at the GSU German Sport University in Cologne, Germany, on 15 February 2024. ENGSO Youth was represented by its Projects and Partnerships manager Nadica Jovanovik. This was the kick-off meeting of the project where the partners discussed the planned activities and deliveries, set timelines and agreed on the next steps. The proposed project’s goal is to identify and analyse successful local sport policies for enhanced sport participation. ALLSTARS will improve participation in sports for those segments of society that are usually underrepresented or excluded. By identifying and understanding good practices for the integration, and through inclusion of the marginalised groups, the aim of the project is to better understand and popularise inclusion through sport policies and programs.  ENGSO Youth is responsible for the dissemination and communication of the project. We will also contribute to the data-collecting process where we will identify best practices in Lithuania when it comes to sport policy creation. At the end of the project we will also organise a local EU conference. In the upcoming months, the project team will focus on data collection about the good practices related to creating policies about sports on a local level in EU countries. In the past, ENGSO Youth led several projects on the topic of inclusion such as Human Rights Education through Sport, Sporting Inclusion and Diversity and Step in for Inclusion. Currently we are also partnering in Best Inclusion project which focuses on the sport sector workforce.