The European Week of Sport, celebrated on 23 – 30 September 2024 is an initiative focused on encouraging physical activity and raising awareness about the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle. Launched in 2015 by the European Union, it aims to combat sedentary behavior and related diseases by promoting movement at any age.
The 2024 edition is held under the theme #BeActive, a hashtag that has become a symbol of the European movement towards a healthier and more dynamic way of life. Participation is not just about playing sports but also about finding daily ways to stay active, whether it’s taking a walk, cycling, or doing some stretching at work.
Fitting perfectly into these goals, the HIKE project aims to encourage local communities to hike and walk to be able to stay well and fit. Within the project a series of walking events along the cultural routes is organised in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, precisely on the south of Italy, Greece and Turkey.
In recent years, the sedentary lifestyle is on rise across Europe, leading to negative impacts on public health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 25% of adults and over 80% of adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. The European Week of Sport seeks to reverse this trend by motivating citizens to find simple and sustainable ways to incorporate movement into their daily lives. Engaging in regular physical activity brings numerous benefits for both the body and mind: it improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress, increases strength and muscular endurance, and prevents chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
During this week, thousands of events take place across Europe. Among them, hiking events by the project – on 27 – 29 September the HIKE returns to Puglia after the success of the first series of events, offering walks along the Via Francigena in the South from Torre Canne (Fasano) to Brindisi. The event includes various free sports activities such as cycling and kayaking, as well as a workshop on safety, involving experts and local institutions.
[Pictures via Unsplash – EAVF]