The 4th edition of the European Evening of Sports, organised by the EU representation of the European Olympic Committees (EOC EU Office) and co-hosted by the Representation of the State of Hessen, was held on May 6, 2015 in Brussels. Among 300 participants, including key representatives from the world of sport, the EU and national politics, also the representative of the European University Sports Association (EUSA), Mr Matjaz Pecovnik, Secretary General, attended the event. The main aim of the event was to discuss the role of sport in society and its potential to contribute to cohesion, reconciliation and social inclusion.

The participants were first addressed by Mr Peter Beuth, Minister of the Interior and for Sports of the State Hessen and Mr Patrick Hickey, the President of the EOC and Member of the IOC Executive Board. The keynote speech was given by Mr Martin Schulz, European Parliament President, who spoke on the added value sport can bring to society, stressing that in the 21st century, sport has a social responsibility stronger than ever before.



With only five weeks to go to the first edition of the European Games, Mr Azad Rahimov, Minister of Sports of Azerbaijan, provided an extensive update on the latest preparations for the games in Baku.



After, a high-level panel was held, with participation of Mrs Marite Seile, Latvian Minister of Education and Science, Mr Jens Nyman Christensen, Deputy Director-General of European Commission DG Education and Culture, Mr Michael Vesper, Chairman of the executive board of the DOSB, Mrs Cathy van Remoortere, social manager of BX Brussels, Mr Marc Theeboom, Professor at the Free University of Brussels and Mr Patrick Hickey, President of the EOC. The invited speakers tried to find the answers on how and to what extent can sport tackle societal problems, what can be done to fully tap into its potential and how can the EU institutions, Members States, and umbrella sport organisations enhance the societal role of sport.



At the end, the participants had the great opportunity to witness an impressive presentation of karate, one of the twenty sports on the program of the European Games in Baku.