2022 has been declared the European Year of Youth, shining a light on the importance of European youth to build a better future – greener, more inclusive and digital. European University Sports Association (EUSA) and its Institute will join and contribute to the celebrations.

The pandemic is one of the hardest periods for the whole world. As society as a whole recovers from the effects of the pandemic, interaction with young people and understanding the issues that currently exist in the field of youth policy are essential to emerging from the crisis. Young people are a very active, bright and energetic part of this world, with their own world view and desire to change the world, to make it better. The future of the whole world depends on the youth generation. That is why in December 2021 the European Parliament and the Council adopted the decision to announce 2022 as the European Year of Youth.



The European Year of Youth has four main objectives:
- Highlighting how the green and digital transitions create opportunities for young people;
- Helping young people to become active and engaged citizens;
- Promoting opportunities available to young people;
- Bringing a youth perspective to the Union's policy.

To achieve these goals, various conferences, events, informational and promotional campaigns will be provided for young people. To coordinate and launch these activities, the Commission will cooperate with the European Parliament, EU Member States, regional and local authorities as well as youth organisations and young citizens themselves.



The European University Sports Association and its Institute work with and for young people. The association is all about sport as we our main activity is to organise sports events each year for student athletes: alternatively the European Universities Games and the European Universities Championships each other year. Participants from 17 to 30 years old come from all over Europe and beyond counting all our 47 country members.

Alongside the sports events, EUSA Institute is working on several European projects, related to sports and many of them being co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. We participate in projects with topics that we strongly support and believe in such as: anti-doping, equal opportunities, ecology, education through sport, good governance, dual career, volunteering, safe sport. Moreover, as an official partner of the European Week of Sport, Healthy Lifestyle for All and the International Day of University Sport, EUSA organises activities promoting sport, physical activity and healthy lifestyle.



Without young people, EUSA would not have a purpose, so they are in our focus. Students have a voice directly in EUSA’s commissions so they contribute to shape EUSA’s policy. Then, each year EUSA’s office welcomes several long-term volunteers through the European Solidarity Corps program (ESC) who actively take part and bring a new perspective to the office activities. We also offer short-term internships and volunteering opportunities especially during the European Universities Games and European Universities Championships for which hundreds of volunteers are mobilised. Overall, EUSA creates opportunities, experiences and memories for young generations.

We hope that 2022 will create unforgettable memories with the European Universities Games this summer in Lodz and that it will truly be the year dedicated to youth!



For more information, please see https://europa.eu/youth/year-of-youth_en and https://eug2022.eu.