At the occasion of the 12th General Assembly of the European University Sports Association, EUSA, in cooperation with ASA Israel organised a European University Sports Conference on March 4 in Eilat, Israel.

The participants and the guests were welcomed by Mr Alberto Gualtieri, EUSA President and Mr Arie Rosenzweig, ASA Israel President, with a brief introduction about EUSA Conferences and the upcoming Assembly.

The floor was then first given to Mr Rifaat Chabouk, representative of the Organising Committee of the 1st European Universities Games, which are to take place in Cordoba in 2012. Mr Chabouk presented the concept of the games, the hosting university, sports and venues, and the general programme. A promotion video of the Games was also shown, and the launch of the official website www.eusagames2012.com was announced.

Mr Rosenzweig presented the Friendship Games, with its history, idea of bringing young people together from different nationalities, religions and beliefs and through sport – basketball more specifically – establish friendships and mutual understandings and acceptance. Mrs Dana Levy and Mr Peter Birrell from Sportalise presented the new way of communicating with student athletes and at the same time managing the sports events, using the power of the modern technology to promote student sport. Mr Michael Kiritsis from Greece and Mr Arie Rosenzweig from Israel presented additional examples of good practice of championships intended mainly for the amateur non-professional student athletes in their contribution entitled FISU Experience.

Mr Aitor Canibe Sanchez, EUSA Executive Committee member and Mrs Johanna St. Clair Renard, SAIF President, both also members of the EUSA Gender Equality Working Group, presented the topic of women involvement in sport. More specifically, Mr Canibe Sanchez presented the current activities of the Gender Equality Working Group and the results of the questionnaire which was distributed among EUSA member federations. Mrs St. Clair Renard presented some examples of good practises of women participation and organisation in sport, pointing out opportunities also for student sport. She concluded with an open question about the possibility of EUSA using women in sports as a catalyst for growth and development.

The conference, moderated by Mr Matjaz Pecovnik, EUSA Secretary General, was attended by the delegates and representatives of EUSA member federations, with invited guests also from FISU and Continental Organisations. We can especially point out the presence of Mr George Killian, FISU President, Mr Eric Saintrond, FISU Secretary General, Mr Ralethe Malumbethe, FASU President, and several FISU Executive Committee members, as well as other guests from Israel and abroad.

The participants also enjoyed a sightseeing tour of Eilat and the vicinity, with a special tour of kibbutz (a special agricultural community) Eilot, the southernmost kibbutz in the world, and a visit to the nearby Jordanian and Egyptian borders. In the evening, the hosts also organised a party on the beach, completed with an entertainment programme.