On 14 and 15 May, Pierre Zappelli, Past President of Panathlon International (PI), took part in the 17th plenary meeting of the Advisory Committee of EPAS (Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport), which was held in Strasbourg. EPAS, which is part of the Council of Europe, is composed of three statutory bodies: the Executive Board, the Statutory Committee and the Advisory Committee, which work together to implement the objectives set out in the European Sports Charter of the Council of Europe in the member countries.
The Executive Board is made up of 32 of the 46 member countries of the Council of Europe, while the Advisory Committee includes 31 organisations (soon to become 35), including Panathlon International.
The meeting, which is held annually in person, was spread over two days.... During the Advisory Committee session, the topic discussed by PI was: ‘Sport and intergenerational challenges for young people and older persons - Bridging the gap between young people and older persons through sport’.
The PI shared some examples of significant projects, including the Friendly Games, launched in 2018, which has been implemented by numerous clubs, mainly in Italy but also in other countries including France and Belgium. Other similar projects were also presented, such as the “Panathliadi” of the Venice Club and the “Family Games” held in Switzerland....
Active and proactive participation in EPAS is essential, especially in view of its role in the drafting and implementation of the European Sports Charter, to which PI has also contributed. It should be emphasised that the Charter is implemented by the member states, not by organisations, whose main functions are to express opinions on the issues addressed and to provide advice based on the specific experience and expertise of each association.
Panathlon International has been confirmed as an active member of the EPAS Advisory Committee for another three years, until 2024.
