Saturday, 18 October 2025
The proceedings held in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, have come to an end after two days of intense work and high-level speeches addressing an important issue that is very close to the heart of Panathlon International: the protection of children's rights in sport.
The Congress was opened by the President of the Club Delicias, Armida Guadalupe Sonia Meraz, and the President of the District Mexico, Coco Samaniego.
After speeches by International President Giorgio Chinellato, who presented the activities and projects of PI, and Secretary General Simona Callo, who illustrated the activities of the General Secretariat, there were numerous speakers and District Presidents from almost all the South American and American Districts and Clubs: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. They presented their reports and the projects they are carrying out in their territories with great interest and involvement from those present.
The participants also followed with interest the reports presented by the President of CREC, Antonio Bramante, and the President of the Belgian District, Paul Standaert.
Also present were the Vice President of PI Luigi Innocenzi, Past President Pierre Zappelli, International Board Member Carlos De Leon, together with Francesco Silvi, Board Member of the Italian District, and Jean Pierre Largo of the Panathlon Club Fribourg.
The proceedings concluded with a big thank you to the Club Delicias, the President of the District Mexico, Coco Samaniego, and all those who worked and participated in the realisation of this event and welcomed the participants with great Panathletic spirit and friendship.
The reading of the FINAL RESOLUTION concluded the 16th Pan American Congress, setting the date for the next Pan American Congress to be held in Chile in 2027.
Declaration of the 16th Pan American Congress Chihuahua Mexico 2025
15-19 October 2025 - The 16th Pan American Congress of Panathlon International has begun in Chihuahua, Mexico, with the central theme ‘La Importancia del Deporte en la Niñez’ (The Importance of Sport in Childhood).
The Congress was opened by the President of the Mexico District, Socorro Samaniego, and the President of the Delicias Club, Armida Guadalupe Sonia Meraz.
During the opening ceremony, the Secretary General of Pi, Simona Callo, presented the report on the work of the Secretariat, followed by the report of the International President, Giorgio Chinellato, on the activities of Panathlon International.
During the webinar “The Importance of Referees in Sport”, organized on October 9 by the Culture, Research and Education Commission of Panathlon International, chaired by Antonio Bramante, a clear message emerged: referees are not only guardians of the rules, but also custodians of sporting ethics and role models of integrity.
Gwenda Stevens, President of the International Federation for Sports Officials (IFSO), presented the objectives of the Federation, while Professor Paul Wylleman highlighted the psychological and social challenges faced by sport officials — performance pressure, verbal abuse, isolation, and job insecurity. Addressing these issues requires specific mental skills – from stress management to self-confidence – and a holistic support approach that includes physical, psychological, social, and professional dimensions.
From the contribute of Belgium District President Paul Standaert and the introductory message by Panathlon International President Giorgio Chinellato, it emerged that Panathlon International promotes a culture of respect based on education, awareness, and recognition. Its initiatives aim to raise awareness among coaches, parents, and players, to introduce codes of conduct, and to enhance the value of referees through campaigns and training programs.
The final message is powerful:
Respect for referees is the foundation of fair play.
Only through education, empathy, and support can we ensure that those who uphold the rules are themselves respected.
25 September 2025 – An evening full of meaning and strong emotions accompanied the convivial meeting of the Panathlon Club of Venice, during which the Panathlon Club Venice Jr. was officially presented, whose constitution was officially approved by Panathlon International on 4 September.
A particularly touching moment was dedicated to the young members of the new Junior Club, led with enthusiasm, passion and competence by President Veronica Berti. They received congratulations and encouragement from the DI Junior Club Delegate, Rita Custodi, who emphasised the educational, inclusive and innovative value of the project.
Alongside Veronica Berti were Caterina Almansi, Marta Bertoldini, Filippo Carraro, Fabio Cerchiai, Nicolò Darai, Jacopo Pajer, Lorenza Perini and Diego Secchieri. Dario Manente and Angelica Marengo were absent with justification.
The new young Panathletes were welcomed not only by the President and all the members of the Venice Club, but also by Rita Custodi, National Board Member of the Italian Panathlon District with responsibility for Junior Clubs, and Giuseppe Falco, Governor of Panathlon Area 1 - Veneto, Trentino A.A. - Südtirol. The International President, Giorgio Chinellato, was absent due to institutional commitments in Brussels, but was ideally close to the initiative.
The 10th anniversary of the European Week of Sport (EWOS) was launched in style on 23–24 September 2025 in Copenhagen, gathering leaders, athletes, NGOs, and grassroots organizations under the banner of #BeActive.
A symbolic opening
The celebrations began at GAME Streetmekka Copenhagen, a venue renowned for its focus on youth and urban sports. Denmark’s King Frederik X, European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, and Minister for Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt jointly opened the Week. They were joined by hundreds of participants, marking ten years of EWOS with sport workshops including a “10 shots” basketball challenge and a vibrant energizer led by GAME volunteers.
Commissioner Micallef underlined the journey of EWOS from its launch in 2015 to today’s reach of over 100 million people in 42 countries, urging Europeans to “scroll less and move more.” The opening also welcomed new EWOS partners, including the European Fair Play Movement, highlighting the growing relevance of ethics and integrity — themes at the core of Panathlon International.
From movement to wellbeing
The following day the European Week of Sport’s 10th-anniversary celebrations continued with a high-level conference at the Royal Danish Playhouse. The focus: how sport and physical activity can address some of Europe’s most pressing societal challenges.
Following words of welcome by Denmark’s Minister for Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt and Georg Haeusler, Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport at the European Commission, the conference explored the theme of physical literacy as a social innovation tool. Speakers stressed the importance of equipping citizens — especially youth — with lifelong movement skills, to combat sedentary behavior and support healthier lifestyles.
Tom Englén (Change the Game) framed physical literacy as a lifelong skill for active citizenship, while the Danish Gymnastics sports organization experts presented practical approaches in schools and communities. Professor Stuart Biddle addressed the risks of sedentary lifestyles and screen use, stressing the urgency of systemic action. Digital innovation was showcased by Jakub Kalinowski (V4Sport) through the Active Sister Schools initiative.
The afternoon panel spotlighted projects tackling mental wellbeing through sport:
Mind Body Boost (Trinity College Dublin), Icehearts Europe and The Starting Bloc (Danish NOC & Sports Confederation), each demonstrated sport’s transformative role for respectively vulnerable groups, social inclusion and resilience.
Panathlon’s perspective
For Panathlon International, the anniversary and conference reaffirmed the growing need to link ethics, safeguarding, health and wellbeing within EU policies. The alignment with EWOS 2025 themes — inclusion, digital health, and mental resilience — provides an opportunity to reinforce Panathlon’s advocacy for fair play, integrity, and safe sport environments.
As Europe marks ten years of #BeActive, the message from Copenhagen was clear: sport is more than physical activity — it is a civic responsibility, a driver of solidarity and a pathway to healthier, more inclusive societies.
Sander Renson,
Secretary of the Panathlon Club of Vlaanderen (B)
From 1 October to 31 December 2025, Panathlon International will host Alexandros Brousiakis, a student at the Hellenic Open University in Greece, at its International Headquarters as part of the Erasmus+ programme.
Alexandros, who has a degree in Economics and is currently enrolled in a Master's programme in Sports Management, brings with him enthusiasm, team spirit and problem-solving skills.
Passionate about the world of sport, he is eager to put his skills into practice and contribute to new projects.
We welcome Alexandros and wish him a fruitful and stimulating experience!
Webinar invitation: Referees, guardians of values in sport
Too often, the role of referees is reduced to simply managing a match. Yet ensuring that the rules are followed is an essential part of the success of any sporting event.
Today, the growing pressure on referees threatens not only their safety, but also the very future of sport. Despite their indispensable role, referees are absent from the decision-making bodies and sports policies that regulate competitions.
This webinar will be an opportunity to reflect on:
The growing pressure on referees and the associated risks
The need for direct involvement of referees in decision-making processes
The importance of an educational perspective for new generations of athletes
The CREC (Culture, Research and Education Commission) of Panathlon International has organised its 3rd webinar on this topic.
The President of the CREC (Culture, Research and Education Commission), Antonio Bramante, will welcome the speakers:
Gwenda Stevens, President of the International Federation of Referees in Sport
Paul Wylleman, Professor of Sports Psychology at the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
At the end of the debate, Paul Standaert, President of the District Belgium of Panathlon International, will offer further reflections on the importance of promoting respect for referees as part of PI's ethical vision.
Date: 9 October 2025
Time: 17:00 CET
Platform: Zoom
Join the webinar: http://bit.ly/webinarseries-pi
A crucial issue, which affects the credibility and sustainability of sport, will be at the centre of our discussion.
We look forward to seeing you there!
On 25 September, Giorgio Chinellato President of Panathlon International and Prof. Silvia Camporesi of MAiSI signed an important collaboration to promote the implementation of academic studies into sport at grassroot level. More on this later in next edition of the Panathlon magazine.
On the afternoon of 24 September 2025, MEP Lara Magoni met with Panathlon International President Giorgio Chinellato and International Board member Fabiano Gerevini in Brussels. The meeting took place at the European Parliament, where Magoni is currently engaged in institutional activities.
During the meeting, crucial issues were discussed, such as the role of sport in promoting ethical and social values at a global level, with particular attention to the phenomenon of hikikomori. This is a profound, often invisible, disorder that affects adolescents and young adults, leading to social and educational isolation.
Panathlon International stressed the importance of addressing this issue with concrete and coordinated responses at international level. Lara Magoni confirmed her commitment to bringing the issue of hikikomori to the attention of the European Parliament's Committee on Culture, Education, Youth and Sport, so that it can be addressed with appropriate tools in youth policies.
The meeting represents a significant step in the collaboration between Panathlon International and the European institutions, with the aim of promoting the positive values of sport as a tool for prevention, inclusion and rebirth for those experiencing isolation and fragility.
The meetings of the International Board and the PI President’s Committee, held on 10 and 12 September in person and online, focused on strategic issues for the future of the Movement.
At the international level, they confirmed the participation in RelazionExpo in Verona (26 October) with a round table and presentations dedicated to PI and partner projects. The IB also welcomed the joint declaration, supported by the PI, of Kärnten-Alpe Adria, Area 12 Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Slovenija for the promotion of shared values, the possibility of relaunching and extending the Caregiving Expo L.104 project at European level and, with great satisfaction, authorised the reopening of the District Chile thanks to the establishment of the new Valdivia Club.
Ample space was also given to training and communication: a training plan for all positions, refresher courses for the Secretariat and a video aimed at clubs to strengthen their common identity are currently being studied. Meanwhile, the second issue of the new PI Magazine, translated into six languages with the support of the AI, will be the subject of a survey aimed at members to verify its suitability.
The European University Sports Association's proposal to collaborate on the European Week of Winter Sport was welcomed, while attention is already turning to the “Musketeers” conference (Milan, February 2026), where PI will speak on the ethics of artificial intelligence. The process of including the Ethics Commission in the Statutes has also been initiated and the commemorative badge for the 75th anniversary of the Movement has been approved.
There were also updates on the Clubs: the closure of the Le Cannet-Rocheville Club was regretfully acknowledged, while the opening of the Santo Domingo PC was celebrated.
Finally, the Board thanked the Board members for their commitment to their duties and confirmed its desire to strengthen the international network by spreading the values of Panathlon through increasingly broad and concrete initiatives.
