Malta has been chosen to host the 14th ENGSO General Assembly which will bring together representatives from European Non-Governmental Sports Organisations (ENGSO) from various European countries.
This is the second time Malta has been chosen to organise an ENGSO event after successfully organising the fifth ENGSO Forum back in 2002. The Executive Committee headed by President Bengt Sevelius will also be in Malta between tomorrow and Sunday to hold the 56th ENGSO Executive Committee session in preparation for the 14th General Assembly at the Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio, St Paul’s Bay.
European National Sports Confederations and National Olympic Committees, if they are the national umbrella organisations for sports, form the association “European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation” (ENGSO) which is a non-profit making or distributing organisation with public responsibilities. This means that the members of ENGSO represent the national sport in its broadest sense - from children and youth sport, over “sport for all” activities to elite sports. ENGSO presently has 40 national umbrella sports organisations as members and one organisation as a permanent observer. ENGSO is today the only European sports organisation having been granted consultative status by the Council of Europe.
ENGSO regularly holds General Assemblies, Forums and Working Groups (in charge of the most important matters) with the objective of helping to define common sport political positions in interest of general sports at a European level, especially vis-à-vis political and administrative bodies of the European Union. ENGSO is mainly involved in a wider development and status of sport directed to all kinds of target groups and the social function of sport in the society with significant emphasis on the cooperation between the Non Governmental Organisations and Government organisations on both national and European level.
The main aims of ENGSO are to promote and to defend the independence and autonomy of sports in Europe; to meet the political and economical impact of EU on sport in Europe; to assist in improving sports development, from children and youth sport, over “sport for all” activities to elite sports in the member countries; to take active part in development of the East-West and North-South co-operation; to raise the status and credibility of sports in the member countries, as well as actively combat the negative tendencies in sports; to support voluntarism as an important factor for development in society; to develop democracy in sports; to promote equality between men and women in sports; to build bridges between different organisations dealing with “sport for all” activities.
Support of member organisations includes the organising of Forums, visits and support from experts, participation in ENGSO EU working group, ENGSO Youth Sport promoting work, ENGSO mentoring and leadership programme for women, ENGSO – Round table of Sport for all. In addition to promoting “voluntary work” in the member organisations and sustainable development. A final priority is to strengthen the internal and external communications of ENGSO.