Panathlon International

The first day of the 23rd Panathlon International Congress has opened in Ghent, dedicated to the theme “Panathlon International: 75 Years Inspiring Unity Through Sport”, with a packed programme of events and two panel discussions focusing on sports diplomacy, governance and the role of the younger generation.

In today’s world, sport no longer represents merely competition, results or medals, but is increasingly establishing itself as a tool for connection, dialogue and international cooperation. This is the strength of sports diplomacy: speaking a universal language capable of transcending borders, cultures, religions and political affiliations, creating opportunities for encounter and collaboration even where institutional dialogue faces greater difficulties.

In this context, Panathlon International reaffirms its role as a Movement committed to promoting ethics, fair play, respect and the values of sport as concrete tools for personal growth, social development and the building of bridges between peoples and nations.

The first panel brought together Antonio Bramante, Chair of the Culture, Research and Education Commission of Panathlon International, Maria Beatriz Ferreira, Vice-Chair of ICSSPE, Fahmida Faiza, an expert in sports diplomacy, and Guillermo Gonzalez Lopez, President of Panathlon Club Colombia.

The presentations highlighted Panathlon International’s contribution to sports diplomacy through the promotion of the positive values of sporting activity.

The second panel featured Fabio Figueiras, a member of Panathlon International’s CCRE, Tiago Guilherme from ENGSO Youth, Matilda Tommasi, President of Panathlon Junior Trieste Muggia and a member of Panathlon International’s CCRE, and Berber Swart, an IOC Young Leader. The discussion centred on the fundamental role of the younger generations in building a sporting world and a society increasingly oriented towards fair play, inclusion and responsibility.

The theme of fair play was further highlighted through the exhibition “Best Practices Showcase”, organised for the Congress, which brings together and presents significant initiatives promoted by Panathlon Clubs.

All the meetings took place in the presence of International President Giorgio Chinellato and Secretary General Simona Callo, together with Sander Renson, President of Panathlon Internationaal Vlaanderen.

The proceedings continue today, 5 June, with the theme “Shaping the game: Europe’s role in the future of sport”.

The programme includes presentations by Stanislas Frossard, Director of Sport at the Council of Europe, Chiel Warners, Technical Director of the Dutch Athletic Federation, and Georg Häusler, Director of DG EAC Sport, as well as two round-table discussions on integrity in sport and good governance in sport from a European perspective.

The event opens with a welcome address by Giorgio Chinellato, President of Panathlon International, followed by a speech by Stanislas Frossard, Director of Sport at the Council of Europe. Chiel Warners, Technical Director of the Dutch Athletic Federation, then takes the floor; he also participates in the first debate on integrity in sport, led by moderator Dr Cleo Schyvinck, alongside experts Guy Goudesone and Michele Colucci.

Proceedings resumed with a speech by Georg Hausler, Director of the European Commission’s DG EAC Sport, who introduced the round table on good governance in sport, moderated by Philippe Vlaemminck, with contributions from Prof. Bram Constandt, Walter De Beauvesier Watson and Sven Demeulemeester.

Fabio Figueiras spoke in his capacity as Compliance & Regulatory Manager for KPMG Switzerland, before handing over to Antonio Bramante, President of the Cultural, Scientific and Educational Commission (CREC), for the closing remarks.

The Ghent Congress thus reaffirms Panathlon International’s mission: to promote sport that educates, unites, inspires and contributes to building a fairer, more respectful and more caring society.

Photogallery

4 June 2026 - The 23rd International Congress of Panathlon International officially opened in Ghent, at the Scala Center, under the theme “Panathlon International: 75 Years Inspiring Unity Through Sport.”

Following the institutional greetings and the welcome address to participants, International President Giorgio Chinellato recalled the origins of Panathlon, retracing the founding values that still guide the Movement today.

He was then interviewed by CREC President Antonio Bramante on the present and future of Panathlon International, offering participants a moment of reflection on the role of the Movement in promoting ethics, culture and the values of sport.

Below are the links to follow the proceedings of the 23rd Panathlon International Congress and the Panathlon International General Assembly, scheduled to take place in Ghent from 4 to 7 June 2026, via live streaming.

To encourage the widest possible participation, all sessions will be broadcast live on the dedicated YouTube channel.

A simultaneous interpretation service with subtitles in all languages will also be available via the Zoom platform through a single link valid for all days of the event.

The languages available will be Italian and English for the Congress sessions (4 and 5 June) and Italian, English and French for the General Assembly sessions (6 and 7 June).

 LIVE STREAMING & SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION

Watch the live sessions on YouTube:

- 4 June 2026 – Panathlon Congress | Day 1

https://youtube.com/live/p85QRcSmQWI?feature=share 

- 5 June 2026 – Panathlon Congress | Day 2

 https://youtube.com/live/QyFAKiySG2Y?feature=share

- 6 June 2026 – Panathlon General Assembly | Day 1

https://youtube.com/live/RhtdrrGmYF0?feature=share

- 7 June 2026 – Panathlon General Assembly | Day 2

https://youtube.com/live/RhtdrrGmYF0?feature=share

Simultaneous Translation (all days)

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89614450445?pwd=hCheVYMpdi3jettnCdphH4Cshj8ZVV.1

ID Riunione: 896 1445 0445      -       Passcode: 01856

EPAS – Strasbourg, France, 26–27 May 2026

An event dedicated to the theme “Young people’s perspective on safe and healthy sport” brought together 49 young people (aged between 19 and 29) from 32 member states of the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) on 26 and 27 May at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, France.

Representing PI at the event was Debora Quercioli, a member of the General Secretariat of Panathlon International, who took part in the activities and discussions scheduled in the programme. This session preceded the 19th Council of Europe Conference and the EPAS meeting, which was attended on behalf of PI by Past President Pierre Zappelli.

The young people gathered in Strasbourg shared experiences, ideas and recommendations on how sport can become safer, healthier, more inclusive and more respectful of human rights, particularly the rights of children. On 26 May, they took part in debates on these issues and the following day presented their contributions during the joint plenary meeting, as part of a session dedicated to integrating the youth perspective into sport. They also took part in two round-table discussions dedicated respectively to the safety of children in sport and the role of sport as a tool for improving the health of young people.

This youth perspective will play a key role in the preparatory work for the 2026 Ministerial Conference, particularly in the drafting of a resolution on the above-mentioned issues to be adopted by the Conference.

Safe sport is one of the pillars of EPAS. The Partial Agreement is committed to promoting safer and healthier sport through the “Start to Talk” project and its Network of International Experts on Safe Sport. The “Start to Talk” project supports national authorities and sports organisations in defining and implementing effective child protection measures, whilst promoting training and awareness-raising activities.

youth-perspective-on-safer-and-healthier-sport-at-the-epas-annual-plenary-meeting

Debora Quercioli and Pierre Zappelli, Past President PI

Communiqué de presse

Les 30 et 31 mai 2026, la 15e édition des Panathlon Family Games® a réuni plusieurs milliers d’enfants et de familles sur l’immense zone sportive de Vidy à Lausanne. Avec plus de 40 sports à disposition, cet événement a confirmé sa place de rendez-vous incontournable, mettant l’accent sur la découverte, le plaisir du mouvement et les valeurs du fair-play.

Depuis 2010, les Panathlon Family Games® offrent un espace rare en Suisse où les enfants et leur entourage peuvent tester, découvrir et oser des activités sans pression de performance. L’événement reste fidèle à ses principes fondamentaux, en particulier le plaisir de faire du sport. Le respect de soi et des autres fait également partie des valeurs portées par les organisateurs.

Sous un grand soleil et des températures estivales, la 15e édition a rassemblé 46 disciplines sur plus de 8 hectares, ce qui équivaut à 10 terrains de football ! Près de 6’000 personnes, dès 3 ans, se sont inscrites sur les deux jours. Cette année, les monitrices et moniteurs des clubs et associations de la région ont particulièrement insisté sur l’importance de bien s’échauffer et de s’hydrater, pour que le sport soit un vecteur de santé et de bien-être.

Les nouveautés 2026 ont attiré curieuses et curieux samedi et dimanche. Le Esport a fait bouger les adeptes en démontrant que les jeux vidéo requièrent des compétences semblables à des sports traditionnels. Pour la première fois à Vidy, des initiations au ski nautique, au pumptrack (un circuit fermé avec des bosses et des virages) et à la gymnastique rythmique ont été proposées dans une atmosphère conviviale. Les plus jeunes ont pu s’adonner à des exercices adaptés.

Des athlètes du programme Vaud Générations Champions, y compris le basketteur lausannois Gilles Martin, récompensé par le Prix Panathlon Lausanne 2026, ont transmis leur enthousiasme et encouragé les participantes et participants à persévérer. Le cyclisme a aussi été mis à l’honneur avec la Fête du Tour, deux mois avant le Grand Départ du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Un événement toujours aussi utile, inclusif et unique

Les Panathlon Family Games® figurent parmi les plus grandes manifestations multisports au monde, avec un concept unique ouvert au grand public, quel que soit l’âge, encadré par des clubs officiels, sans compétition, et offrant gratuitement une très large diversité d’activités pour pratiquer un grand nombre de sports en un seul lieu au même moment, dans un esprit de fair-play.

Le Panathlon n’est pas une discipline sportive, ni le nom de la manifestation, mais un mouvement international né en Italie il y a 75 ans. Dans sa vision, il s’assure que chacune et chacun puisse bénéficier d’une saine et juste éducation sportive et culturelle. Les Panathlon Family Games® sont organisés par le Panathlon Club de Lausanne - qui fête ses 70 ans en 2026 -, en collaboration avec les associations et clubs sportifs, la Ville de Lausanne, Lausanne Région et le Service cantonal de l'éducation physique et du sport (SEPS), sans oublier le soutien de partenaires proposant diverses animations. La prochaine édition est fixée aux 29 et 30 mai 2027, toujours dans la zone des Pyramides de Vidy au bord du lac à Lausanne. (comm. /J.G.)

Informations, photos et vidéos : www.family-games.ch, sur Facebook et Instagram

À PROPOS

Les Panathlon Family Games®, marque déposée, sont un événement annuel créé en 2010 par le Panathlon Club de Lausanne et qui se déroule dans plusieurs régions de Suisse. À Lausanne, la manifestation est organisée par le Panathlon Club de Lausanne - club service dont les buts sont de promouvoir la culture et l’éthique sportive -, en collaboration avec les clubs sportifs de la région, la Ville de Lausanne, Lausanne Région et le Service cantonal de l'éducation physique et du sport (SEPS).

Note aux rédactions :

Patrice Schaub, président du comité d’organisation des Panathlon Family Games®, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 079 793 66 74

Jérôme Genet, contact pour les médias, responsable communication et président du Panathlon Club Lausanne, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 078 708 58 68

Tous les communiqués de presse et images : www.family-games.ch/medias

O Panathlon Internacional Distrito Brasil através do seu delegado Claudemir Rufino, o Mil, entregou neste domingo, dia 31 maio, o Troféu Fair Play Panathlon Internacional para equipe mais disciplinada da Copa Arena Comelli de Futebol Suíço, na cidade de Cambará – Pr, terra natal do Past Presidente do Panathlon Club Sorocaba, Ademir de Barros, o Paraná, que jogou no São Bento, São Paulo FC, Londrina EC e participou da Copa do Mundo de 1966, na Inglaterra, juntamente com grandes craques, entre eles, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, o Pelé. 

A organização da copa foi a Secretaria de Esporte e Lazer de Cambará e contou com o apoio da Arena Comelli, que tem como proprietário o ex atleta do Matsubara e técnico renomado do futebol brasileiro e também da Arabia, Prof. Paulo Comelli. 

A competição contou com a participação de 12 equipes e todas as partidas foram disputadas na Arena Comelli. A equipe vencedora do Troféu Fair Play Panathlon Internacional foi a RR Footbal e recebeu das mãos do Secretário de Esporte, Caio Dalaqua e do Prof. Paulo Comelli. 

A classificação final foi a seguinte; Resenha foi a campeã, vencendo o Brothers pelo placar de 2 a 1 e o terceiro lugar ficou com a equipe do Fucam que venceu por 1 a 0 a equipe do RR Footbal,  o artilheiro foi o Rafinha, da equipe Fucam, com 4 gols, o goleiro menos vazado foi Fernando José e o Destaque foi o Vinicius Soares, ambos da equipe do Resenha, arbitragem ficou a cargo do Claudemir da Silva, Nelson Mariano, ambos de Ourinhos SP e o anotador foi Júlio Fernando Marques, o Tutinha. 

An online preparatory meeting was held on 28 May with the Panathlon International trainers who will take part in the MindFit VR International Training Course, scheduled to take place in İzmir, Türkiye, from 8 to 12 June 2026.

The meeting, chaired by Fábio Figueiras, aimed to introduce participants to the MindFit VR – Immersive Sports for Mental Well-being project, an Erasmus+ Sport initiative combining sport, mental well-being and digital innovation, and to share the main information regarding the training programme, logistical arrangements and planned activities.

The four Panathlon International trainers who will attend the training course are Teresa Rocha, Ilse Vanhoorelbeke, Rebecca Ripanti and Tunde Stift.

During the course, participants will explore the use of Virtual Reality and hybrid sport approaches as educational tools to promote emotional resilience, mental well-being awareness and new methodologies for working with young people. The training will follow an experiential and participatory approach, combining exchanges, practical activities, group work and shared reflection.

After the training, the trainers will contribute to the next implementation phase of the project, bringing the acquired skills back to their local contexts and supporting the development of activities dedicated to mental well-being through sport and digital innovation.

Panathlon International President’s Committee met online on 26 May 2026, starting at 12.00 p.m. to discuss a number of institutional, cultural and organisational matters ahead of upcoming international events.

At the start of the meeting, the minutes of the previous President’s Committee meeting on 5 March 2026 were approved. This was followed by reports from the President and the Secretary General, who updated participants on the main activities currently underway.

Among the key points of the session, particular attention was paid to the voting procedures for the General Assemblies in Ghent in 2026 and to the establishment of the Committee on the Verification of Credentials for the General Assembly in the Belgian city.

The Committee also addressed the issue of the ethical charters, to be presented at the Assembly, confirming Panathlon International’s commitment to promoting the values of sport and social responsibility.

During the meeting, the granting of sponsorships was also discussed, as well as the phenomenon of hikikomori, an issue of growing social relevance that also affects the world of young people and sport.

There was also an important update on the Panathlon Club Santo Domingo and the Caribbean Games, reflecting the association’s ongoing focus on international activities and the promotion of Panathletic values.

With regard to cultural activities, the Committee reviewed the programme of events planned for Ghent 2026 and the initiatives linked to the Flambeau d’Or, Panathlon International’s historic award.

In the final part of the meeting, organisational aspects relating to upcoming activities were addressed, and it was also announced that a new Club is being established in Croatia, a further sign of Panathlon International’s international growth.

The meeting confirmed Panathlon International’s strong commitment to strengthening its international presence, promoting the ethical values of sport and supporting wide-ranging cultural and social projects

The second Steering Committee Meeting of the Panathlon International coordinated YOULEAD project was successfully held online on 21 May 2026, bringing together project partners from across Europe to review ongoing progress and prepare the next phases of implementation.

The meeting provided an opportunity for partners to exchange updates on current activities, particularly regarding the advancement of the research phase and the preparation of the upcoming Transnational Project Meeting (TPM), which will take place in Podgorica, Montenegro, in June 2026.

Discussions also focused on coordination matters related to project management, communication and dissemination activities, as well as the continued collaboration between partners in ensuring the smooth development of project outputs. Particular attention was given to strengthening cooperation between work packages and supporting a coherent transition towards the next implementation phase of the project.

Partners also reviewed the current status of the YOULEAD communication tools, including the project website, and highlighted the importance of ensuring visibility for the project’s activities and milestones at both national and international level.

The meeting concluded with a positive outlook towards the forthcoming TPM in Podgorica and reaffirmed the strong collaborative spirit among consortium partners as the YOULEAD project continues to progres

Invitation from International President Giorgio Chinellato to the 23rd International Congress of the P.I., Gdansk, 4–5 June 2026

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