The first day of the kick-off meeting held in Rome was a great success, officially launching the Erasmus+ You Lead project. All the international partners were present at the meeting, gathering to share the first steps of the project and plan future activities.
The PI was represented by International President Giorgio Chinellato, Fabio Figueiras, member of the CCRC, Simona Callo, Secretary General, Lorenzo D'Ilario, President of Club Roma Junior, and Monica Rossi, General Secretariat.
The partners were also greeted by the Governor of the Area Lazio, Cesare Sagrestani, who brought his message of welcome and support for the project.
The You Lead project was created to address one of the main challenges facing the European sports system: promoting greater participation by young people and women in decision-making and governance processes.
In an atmosphere of collaboration and enthusiasm, the various work packages to be developed over the next 30 months, at the end of which the project will come to a close, were analysed.
A positive start that lays solid foundations for a shared and high-impact work programme at European level.
The first day of the kick-off meeting, held in Rome, was a great success, officially launching the Erasmus+ You Lead project. All the international partners were present at the meeting, gathering to share the first steps of the project and plan future activities.
The PI was represented by International President Giorgio Chinellato, Fabio Figueiras, member of the CCRC, Simona Callo, Secretary General, Lorenzo D'Ilario, President of Club Roma Junior, and Monica Rossi, General Secretariat.
The partners were also greeted by the Governor of the Lazio Area, Cesare Sagrestani, who brought his message of welcome and support for the project.
The You Lead project was created to address one of the main challenges facing the European sports system: promoting greater participation by young people and women in decision-making and governance processes.
In an atmosphere of collaboration and enthusiasm, the various work packages to be developed over the next 30 months, at the end of which the project will come to a close, were analyzed.
This positive start lays a solid foundation for a shared and highly impactful work path at the European level.
Panathlon International, represented by Fábio Figueiras and Barbara Rossi, took part in the Kick-Off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project MindFit VR, held on 9 January 2026 in Budapest.
The meeting marked the start of a European partnership focused on strengthening mental well-being, emotional resilience, and inclusion in sport through innovative Virtual Reality (VR) tools.
During the meeting, Panathlon International highlighted its strong commitment to ethics, youth education, and mental health in sport, and actively contributed to discussions on how VR can complement traditional sport activities in addressing isolation, stress, and psychological
challenges among young people.
The project now enters its needs assessment phase, which includes a questionnaire addressed to youth workers, coaches, and young people. The results will directly shape the development of practical VR-based tools and activities to be implemented across Europe.
Your contribution matters: please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire via the link below and help shape the future of mental well-being in sport.
The Webinar Series promoted by the Culture, Research and Education Commission (CCRE) continues, dedicated to exploring best educational practices related to fair play.
The next event, dedicated to the presentation of the book entitled ‘Environmental Intelligence’ published by member Lamartine Da Costa of the Panathlon Club Rio de Janeiro, will be held on Monday 19 January 2026 at 6 p.m. CET.
ZOOM platform http://bit.ly/webinarseries-pi
Panathlon International was represented in Brussels at the Erasmus+ Sport Info Day, a key European event bringing together policymakers, institutions, and sport organisations to discuss the future of sport in Europe and the priorities of the Erasmus+ Sport programme. Panathlon International was represented by Fábio Figueiras, responsible for Erasmus+ projects and member of the CCSE of Panathlon International.
The event opened with a high-level round table moderated by Sophie Beernaerst (EACEA) and featuring European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, responsible for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, alongside representatives of the European Parliament and national sport authorities. Discussions highlighted sport as a public good and a powerful tool for inclusion, health prevention, education and social cohesion, with grassroots sport identified as the foundation of the European Sport Model.
A key message was the strong demand for Erasmus+ Sport funding: only 13–14% of applications are currently supported, despite the high quality of projects submitted. This underlines both the competitiveness of the programme and the importance of well-structured, values-based initiatives.
During the event, Panathlon International also had the opportunity to exchange directly with Commissioner Glenn Micallef, presenting the organisation’s mission and ongoing work in ethics, integrity, education and sport values. The Commissioner was informed that he will receive a formal invitation to attend Panathlon International’s Congress in 2026.
The Info Day also marked the first public presentation of the preliminary results of the EU consultation on the European Sport Model, reaffirming principles such as sporting merit, solidarity between elite and grassroots sport, good governance, volunteering and community engagement.
Alongside the institutional sessions, Panathlon International strengthened its international network through meetings with sport federations, NGOs, innovation hubs and academic institutions from across Europe, further reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in European sport projects.
Panathlon International remains fully committed to contributing to a values-based, inclusive and ethical sport ecosystem in Europe, in line with the objectives of Erasmus+ and the European Sport Model.
The Foundation meeting convened for Monday, December 1, at 6:00 p.m. (CEST) was held via videoconference on the Zoom platform. The meeting, chaired by President Giorgio Chinellato, was attended by all members of the Board of Directors and Auditors Nardon and Minchillo.
The agenda included communications from the President and Secretary, the presentation of activities carried out in 2025, and projects planned for 2026.
Looking to the near future, the Foundation confirmed its commitment in several areas: it will participate in a Panathlon International project dedicated to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, contribute to the Italian edition of Yves Vanden Auweele's book Joy and Pain in Sport, and evaluate meaningful ways to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its activities. The planned initiatives also include the creation of new graphic design competitions, developed with new methods and designed to actively involve all clubs through the Panathlon International districts, with the hope of greater dissemination and participation in the activities promoted by the Foundation.
The meeting ended on a constructive note and with a shared desire to make the most of the initiatives planned for the new year.
the 4th webinar organized by the PI CCRE took place on Monday, November 24.
After the opening by President Antonio Bramante, who moderated the meeting, PI President Giorgio Chinellato spoke to bring the official greetings of Panathlon International, thus starting the proceedings.
The theme of the webinar, “Teaching Fair Play in Schools: Challenges, Opportunities and Goals,” offered an interesting overview of the experience of the Panathlon Club Wallonie-Bruxelles.
The first speaker was Kole Gjeloshaj, President of the Club, who illustrated the important work carried out in the region, involving around 200 schools in the promotion of Fair Play. This was followed by Kathleen Monseu, General Coordinator of the Club, who elaborated on the various initiatives. The last speaker was François Poull, Panathlete and Head of the Physical Education Department at the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, as well as the creator of Poullball, a new inclusive sport suitable for everyone.
The International President emphasized the importance of these initiatives, which represent virtuous examples to be shared and potential models for other Clubs. He also recalled that PI is promoting the project “Fair Play starts again at school,” developed by Panathlete Prof. Lazzizzera.
Wednesday, November 26 - Panathlon International participated in the 3rd online workshop organized by IPACS-IOC, dedicated to the theme of gender equality in sport.
Dr. Alexandros Brousiakis, currently engaged in an internship at the Rapallo offices as part of a university Erasmus project, spoke on behalf of the General Secretariat.
The workshop opened with an overview of the Handbook on Governance in Sport developed by IPACS, a comprehensive guide that aims to strengthen governance standards based on transparency, accountability, and integrity, offering practical tools to support sports organizations in improving their practices. The program dedicated to promoting gender equality was also presented, aimed at increasing the participation of women in decision-making roles, ensuring equal opportunities at all levels, and fostering a more inclusive and equitable sporting environment.
Alexandros also took part in the discussion groups, emphasizing the importance of ensuring gender balance not only in representation but also in leadership positions.
The first meeting with the partners of the Erasmus+ YouLead project took place online on Thursday, November 27.
Seventeen young people participated in the virtual meeting to learn about the objectives of the new initiative on which the PI Secretariat is working together with Fabio Figueiras and Lorenzo d'Ilario.
The meeting provided valuable insights for defining the next steps and operating procedures. YouLead aims to strengthen the participation of young people in sports governance and to build a collaborative network between sports bodies, educational institutions, and youth groups in order to overcome the barriers that still limit the involvement of young people in decision-making processes. The goal is to promote skills, inclusion, equal opportunities, and more open and representative sports governance. This is an important first step on the path of an ambitious project full of potential.
Brussels, 17 November 2025 – Thanks to the fruitful relations that continue to exist between Panathlon International, the European and International Olympic Committees and the European Institutions, International President Giorgio Chinellato – together with District President Paul Standaert, President of EFPM and Past President of Club Wallonie-Bruxelles Philippe Housiaux and other Belgian Panathletes – was invited to the European Evening of Sport, held in Brussels on 17 November. During the evening, President Chinellato was able to present Panathlon International to IOC President Kirsty Coventry and engage in discussions with the many personalities present.
The event, hosted by the EOC EU Office at the Representation of Baden-Württemberg to the European Union, brought together over 300 leaders from the Olympic Movement, European institutions and the world of sport, with the aim of celebrating shared values and strengthening cooperation between European sport and EU institutions.
The evening was attended by, among others, IOC President Kirsty Coventry, President of the European Olympic Committees Spyros Capralos and European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef. All 49 European Olympic Committees were invited to the meeting, dedicated to the theme “Sport is more than a Game”, to reflect on the unifying role of sport in a complex and ever-changing global context.
One of the highlights was the panel discussion ‘More Than a Game: The Role of Sports in Challenging Times’, which highlighted the impact of sport on public health, education, diplomacy and inclusion, reiterating the need for strong partnerships and coordinated policies to fully realise its potential.
The evening concluded with a tribute to the outgoing Director of the EOC EU Office, Folker Hellmund, and a lively networking session. The event reaffirmed the shared commitment of the European Union and the Olympic Movement to making sport a tool that inspires, educates and unites communities across Europe.
