{"id":1718,"date":"2025-12-02T09:37:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T08:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/?p=1718"},"modified":"2026-01-15T09:42:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T08:42:12","slug":"allstars-conference-2025-advancing-inclusive-local-sport-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/?p=1718","title":{"rendered":"ALLSTARS Conference 2025: Advancing Inclusive Local Sport Policies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/588566363_1279613510873249_4137216992277665218_n-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1626\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>ALLSTARS project<\/strong>&nbsp;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\u2019s findings, shared inspiring examples, and convened policymakers, sport organisations and community actors to discuss future opportunities for inclusive sport at the local level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Opening Remarks<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The conference opened with welcoming remarks from&nbsp;<strong>ENGSO Youth Chair Alessia De Iulis<\/strong>, who emphasised the importance of inclusion and ensuring access to sport for people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First Session: Research Findings<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The first session featured presentations from the research team behind the project&nbsp;<strong>\u201cALLSTARS \u2013 Good Practices for Active Lifestyles in Local Sports Policies.\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Germany<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>J\u00fcrgen Mittag, Till M\u00fcller-Schoell, Constanze Schulte \u2013 German Sport University Cologne<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spain<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Irantzu Iba\u00f1ez, Ekain Zubizarreta \u2013 University of the Basque Country, Leioa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Norway<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Mari Eik, Oskar Solenes, Solveig Straume \u2013 Molde University College<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Netherlands<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Nathan Geurink, Remco Hoekman \u2013 Mulier Instituut, Utrecht<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Poland<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Pawel Zembura \u2013 Fundacja Institute for Sport Governance (ISG), Warsaw<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>During an inspiring networking lunch break, participants had the chance to exchange experiences, ideas and gather more information on the good-practice-projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the networking lunch, an&nbsp;<strong>interactive session<\/strong>&nbsp;explored the question:&nbsp;<em>\u201cWhat do networks need from European institutions in terms of CONTEXTS, ACTORS and PROCESSES?\u201d&nbsp;<\/em>Participants were invited to share questions and remarks via a Mentimeter and vote on them \u2013 the statements with the most votes were taken over to the panel discussion in the third session of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>High-Level Panel Discussion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The conference concluded with a high-level panel moderated by Prof. J\u00fcrgen Mittag featuring expert guests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stanislas Frossard<\/strong>, Head of the Council of Europe\u2019s Sport Division \u2013 Speaking from the Council of Europe angle, Mr. Frossard stressed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The relevance of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rm.coe.int\/revised-european-sports-charter-web-a6\/1680a7534b\"><strong>Revised European Sports Charter<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and its monitoring system, including annual implementation reports by member states.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The importance of\u00a0<strong>legally binding conventions<\/strong>, such as the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/sport\/conventions\">Council of Europe Conventions<\/a>, particularly regarding gender equality, safety, and integrity in sport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reinforcement of\u00a0<strong>sport as a social good<\/strong>, with benefits for health, equality and participation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hebe Schaill\u00e9e<\/strong>, Professor, Sport &amp; Society Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Prof. Schaill\u00e9e offered an academic and societal lens, highlighting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The shared\u00a0<strong>values-based foundations<\/strong>\u00a0of sport initiatives across sectors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The need to\u00a0<strong>professionalise roles in grassroots sport<\/strong>, especially where volunteer reliance limits quality, continuity, and youth guidance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The importance of\u00a0<strong>cross-sector collaboration<\/strong>\u00a0between education, social services, and community structures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The challenge of\u00a0<strong>re-integrating young people<\/strong>\u00a0through sport after disengagement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Katarzyna Biniaszczyk<\/strong>, Accredited Assistant to MEP Zdrojewski. Representing the European Parliament perspective, Ms. Biniaszczyk highlighted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Parliament\u2019s recently adopted report on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/doceo\/document\/A-10-2025-0157_EN.html\">role of EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model<\/a>, endorsed during the October plenary in Strasbourg.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strong commitment to\u00a0<strong>defending and shaping the European Sport Model<\/strong>, including resistance to breakaway competitions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recognition that\u00a0<strong>professional sport cannot exist without a strong grassroots base<\/strong>, reinforcing the need for investment at the community level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A call for\u00a0<strong>increased Erasmus+ Sport funding<\/strong>, noting that only\u00a0<strong>1.9% of the programme budget<\/strong>\u00a0currently supports sport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emphasis that\u00a0<strong>sport must remain accessible to everyone<\/strong>, without exclusionary structures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I\u00f1aki Iturrioz<\/strong>, Head of the Sports Service of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Spain \u2013 Bringing a regional implementation perspective, Mr. Iturrioz emphasised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>That decisions at the European level have\u00a0<strong>direct consequences<\/strong>\u00a0for local authorities responsible for delivery of sport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The need to move beyond serving only those already active and to\u00a0<strong>intentionally include disadvantaged groups<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The importance of creating\u00a0<strong>entry opportunities<\/strong>\u00a0and reducing structural barriers to participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The relevance of the\u00a0<strong>Global Action Plan for Physical Activity<\/strong>\u00a0as a guiding tool for systematic, evidence-based change.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The need to address the fragmentation of resources on the ground and better\u00a0<strong>coordination and connectivity<\/strong>\u00a0across programmes and actors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About ALLSTARS project<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>ALLSTARS \u2013 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&nbsp;<em>sport for all&nbsp;<\/em>on a local level<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>What kind of networks lead to a more inclusive sports practice?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Which common features can be depicted in otherwise very different projects?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>How can municipalities contribute to sport and physical activities for people who are not or do not feel addressed by the regular sport club?&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Which role do sport clubs play in this?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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&nbsp;ALLSTARS project&nbsp;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\u2019s 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&nbsp;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&nbsp;\u201cALLSTARS \u2013 Good Practices for Active Lifestyles in Local Sports Policies.\u201d&nbsp;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&nbsp;interactive session&nbsp;explored the question:&nbsp;\u201cWhat do networks need from European institutions in terms of CONTEXTS, ACTORS and PROCESSES?\u201d&nbsp;Participants were invited to share questions and remarks via a Mentimeter and vote on them \u2013 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. J\u00fcrgen Mittag featuring expert guests: Stanislas Frossard, Head of the Council of Europe\u2019s Sport Division \u2013 Speaking from the Council of Europe angle, Mr. Frossard stressed: Hebe Schaill\u00e9e, Professor, Sport &amp; Society Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Prof. Schaill\u00e9e offered an academic and societal lens, highlighting: Katarzyna Biniaszczyk, Accredited Assistant to MEP Zdrojewski. Representing the European Parliament perspective, Ms. Biniaszczyk highlighted: I\u00f1aki Iturrioz, Head of the Sports Service of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Spain \u2013 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 \u2013 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&nbsp;sport for all&nbsp;on a local level. What kind of networks lead to a more inclusive sports practice?&nbsp; Which common features can be depicted in otherwise very different projects?&nbsp; How can municipalities contribute to sport and physical activities for people who are not or do not feel addressed by the regular sport club?&nbsp; 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1718","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1718"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1719,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1718\/revisions\/1719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allstars.dshs-koeln.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}