FISpT joins HEPA Europe

The International Sport for All Federation is proud to announce that it has been officially recognised as a member of HEPA Europe, the European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity, a WHO/Europe network dedicated to improving health and well-being across the WHO European Region through more physical activity for all people. This important recognition strengthens the Federation’s commitment to the values of Sport for All and to the shared mission of creating more active, healthier, and more inclusive communities through sport, movement, and participation.

HEPA Europe was established in 2005 under the auspices of the WHO Regional Office for Europe and has since developed into a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral network that brings together institutions and organizations working in physical activity, sport, health, education, research, transport, and urban planning. Its mission is to provide a forum for the advancement of health-enhancing physical activity research, policy, and practice, with activities aligned to WHO policy statements, relevant European Commission documents, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030. Through this framework, HEPA Europe promotes a strong evidence-based approach to physical activity as a foundation for better public health, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and stronger social and mental well-being.

Membership in HEPA Europe is open to public and private non-profit organizations and institutions active at sub-national, national, regional, or international level that are willing to contribute to the goals and objectives of the network. The network operates as a platform for interdisciplinary communication, knowledge exchange, advocacy, and collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers, while also supporting best practice sharing, capacity building, and the development of multisectoral strategies that encourage active lifestyles. HEPA Europe also welcomes organizations that contribute to advancing supportive social, physical, and policy environments for physical activity and that help strengthen the voice of the HEPA agenda across Europe.

For the International Sport for All Federation, this membership represents an important opportunity to further connect Sport for All values with the broader public health and physical activity agenda at European level. It creates new possibilities for cooperation with institutions and experts who share a common goal: making physical activity more accessible, more inclusive, and more visible as a key component of healthier societies. It also opens the door to valuable exchanges of knowledge, participation in thematic working groups, and engagement in annual events that generate evidence, tools, and guidance for promoting physical activity in diverse communities.

As a federation committed to the development of sport for all, traditional sports, recreational participation, and inclusive physical activity opportunities, the International Sport for All Federation sees HEPA Europe membership as a natural and strategic step forward. It reinforces our belief that sport is not only competition, but also a powerful instrument for health promotion, education, social cohesion, and lifelong participation. By joining this distinguished WHO/Europe network, the Federation will contribute its international experience, community-based perspective, and commitment to broad participation to the wider European effort to advance health-enhancing physical activity for everyone.

HEPA Europe - Welcome letter - International Sport for All Federation.pdf

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