about the project

The INCLUSION FIRST project shines a spotlight on social inclusion through the values of sports. Its strategic objective is to promote recent developments in the EU’s sports sector. At its heart lies “RUN AND SMILE,” a collection of inspirational stories featuring insights from 24 personalities on various facets of social inclusion. Their motivational journeys are interwoven with pertinent EU sports policies.

A key goal of the project is to bring EU sports policies closer to non-governmental sports organizations, particularly making them more accessible and understandable for stakeholders at all levels, including the local level. This objective will be pursued through the INCLUSION FIRST platform.

The project name cleverly underscores its focus on prioritizing inclusion, while also serving as an acronym for its five core elements: FRIENDSHIP, INNOVATIONS, RUNNING, SUSTAINABILITY, and TEAMWORK.

The proposed consortium aims to concentrate on the latest EU sports agenda, including the sport policies outlined in the EU Work Plan for Sport (2021-2024) and the priorities of the EU’s Erasmus+ programme (2021-2027) in the sports sector. Notably, the consortium will develop Council conclusions on sport as a platform for social inclusion, as devised during the Maltese Presidency, and Council conclusions on sport diplomacy, as formulated during the Slovak Presidency. By collaborating with selected countries, the project seeks to practically follow up on the EU sports agenda set forth during the presidencies of Malta and Slovakia in the Council of the EU.
Digital, environmentally friendly, and innovative, the project places a significant emphasis on the green and digital transitions, aligning with the priorities of the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme and the current call for proposals.

The project is well-suited to the call’s scope, designed with small-scale partnerships in mind. It aims to broaden access to the programme for small-scale actors and individuals who are traditionally hard to reach in the sports sector. Furthermore, the project contributes to the establishment and growth of transnational networks and fosters synergies among local, regional, national, and international policies.