On September 11th, the Planet Ball project held its first event in Athens, hosted by the EARTH organization. The conference and workshop brought together football clubs, federations, and sustainability experts and other stakeholders to share best practices for integrating environmental responsibility into sports. The event also highlighted the unique potential of football as an educational tool for raising environmental awareness particularly among youngsters. Overview of the Planet Ball Project The conference began with an introduction to the European project Planet Ball by Sport and Citizenship. Funded by Erasmus+, Planet Ball was launched in January 2024 to promote eco-friendly behaviors through football, focusing on young people as agents of change. It has four key phases: (1) gathering good practices on greener football, (2) training youth in Turkey, Finland, Romania, and Estonia on environmental topics like waste reduction and carbon footprint reduction, (3) organizing Green Football Festivals to combine awareness activities with sport,(4) measuring the project’s social impact and advocating at the EU level. The project underscores football’s educational role and its potential to drive sustainability. Insights from Research and Best Practices on Greener football and environmental education These opening words were followed by a presentation of the results of the state of art research and best practices collection conducted by Earth organization. The study highlighted how football is increasingly adopting sustainable practices, despite some remaining challenges, such as installing solar panels to reduce energy costs and promote clean energy. Clubs and associations are developing holistic environmental strategies that engage fans and communities, proving more impactful than one-off initiatives. Collaborative efforts between governing bodies, civic organizations, and the football industry are gaining momentum, with resources available for sustainable projects. A significant aspect of these initiatives is their focus on environmental education for young people, empowering them to become champions for change in their communities. However, there remain concerns about the visibility and long-term sustainability of these efforts, as environmental initiatives often struggle to maintain attention amid the focus on sports performance. Showcasing Commitment: Best Practices and challenges from Leading Football Clubs and Sport Federation in Europe This presentation was followed by three interventions showcasing the commitment of sports and football stakeholders in Europe. Engaging Discussion: Barriers and Opportunities in Greece The conference was followed by a focus group discussion dedicated to Greek stakeholders and civil society organisations (CSOs). Participants from various organisations, including sports clubs and the Greek Ministry for Migration and Asylum, engaged in a dynamic discussion about their sustainability practices and the barriers they face. Most attendees acknowledged a gap in sustainability strategies compared to some European counterparts, with many relying on ad-hoc initiatives. They highlighted the need for state support in renovating sports facilities and emphasized education as crucial for fostering a sustainability culture. Concerns were raised about the perception of sustainability among migrants and asylum seekers, alongside feelings of disappointment due to the ongoing energy crisis. Participants unanimously agreed on the necessity of coordinated actions by CSOs to advocate for meaningful changes in sustainability practices in Greece.

Σκοράροντας για ένα βιώσιμο μέλλον   Τοποθεσία: K44 (Κωνσταντινουπόλεως 44, Κεραμεικός, Αθήνα) Ημερομηνία: 11.09.2024 Ώρα: 11:00 Εγγραφή

According to the United Nations, “Sport has proven to be one of the most effective and flexible tools for promoting the values of the United Nations and achieving sustainable development objectives.”  The Planet Ball project, of which Sport and Citizenship is a partner, was launched on 18 January 2024 in Brussels, in this context which links sport and climate action. Reconciling sport and sustainable development The launch meeting for the “Planet Ball: Football as a tool for education and the environment” project was held in January in the offices of the project leader, Sport and Citizenship. Football is the most popular sport in the world and the most played sport in Europe. It provides a place for encounters and exchanges, and for learning values. However, when it comes to the environment, the world of football still has a long way to go in controlling its impact on the environment and contributing to combating climate change. At the European level, actions for more sustainable and “greener” football have already been implemented, but their impact still falls short of expectations. In fact, these behaviours need to be widely adopted by all the stakeholders in football, including amateur football clubs. This situation led the Sport and Citizenship Think Tank, active in environmental matters for more than 10 years, to define the outlines of the “Project Ball” project. 8 partners in 7 European countries will be implementing this project to strengthen the role of sport in combating climate change among young people: – Futbol Mas (France): an association promoting the well-being of children and young people by the use of sport, particularly football – Organization Earth (Grèce): a non-governmental organisation (NGO) specialising in education and the environment – 2 European football federations: > Romanian Football Federation (Romania) > Turkish Football Federation (Turkey) – 2 European football clubs: > Nõmme Kalju FC (Estonia) > HJK Helsinki (Finland) – Fundacion Real Bétis Balompié (Spain): a foundation for promoting sport, particularly football, in order to encourage a healthy way of life for children and young people. – Sport and Citizenship. Young people, ambassadors for change PLANET BALL betting on young people. Motivated by their growing environmental awareness, many young Europeans have become key players in making sport more environmentally responsible. In addition to this, young people in a local football club can have the power to raise awareness and influence their peers. Environmental education and awareness The project will be relying on the motivating power of football as a tool for education about the environment. Throughout the project, four groups of twenty young people from different countries (Finland, Estonia, Romania and Turkey) will be trained and informed about adopting eco-responsible patterns of behaviour in their daily football activities. Tools will be designed and shared with amateur football clubs and local sport stakeholders. Events will also be held to raise the awareness of young footballers regarding environmental matters. The PLANET BALL ambassadors will become role-models and will encourage everyone in their club and their wider community to adopt these gestures. The football of tomorrow Helping young people today is essential, to enable them to take action in the future and inspire transformations for the environment. With Planet ball, football will give young people the keys to develop a responsible approach to the environment. Aware of the issues at a very young age, these little footballers will ensure that playing football sustainably is fixed in people’s minds. Young people embody the future of European football. This article was originally published on the Think tank Sport and Citizenship website to launch the project. You can find it here: https://www.sportetcitoyennete.com/en/articles-en/launching-planet-ball-football-for-the-environment.