MOVE2011 Kick-off stresses the importance of innovation in physical activity offers promoted by cross-sector cooperation

At last, the MOVE2011 World Congress kicked-off tonight in Paris gathering a wide range of stakeholders from global sport’s greatest playing fields. Tonight's menu included the official opening speeches by congress host, organizers and associates among others the city of Paris and the French Ministry of Sports.

At this occasion the President of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee Mr. Denis Masseglia underlined the significance of grassroots sport for the global sport sector. "Popular sports, health sport and physical activity for well-being have today more than ever a role to play with regard to young people in general and populations with fewer opportunities in particular."

Initiatives that foster physical activity, joyful playing and well-being are bridge-builders in today's society, might this be through sports practice in clubs or in a non-organised context. Masseglia concluded that in times of crisis, governments need to support sport as it is one of the most efficient tools to strengthen the social tissue that connects different parts of society.

Mr. Jean Vuillermoz, Deputy Mayor of Paris expressed his great delight to receive the MOVE congress in Paris, after previous editions in Copenhagen and Frankfurt. The mayor underlined the great significance of close relations between the city and its local sports clubs as the practice of sports, team-play and the learning of rules are eminent to the education of active and engaged citizens. Paris believes that the stakeholder approach involving all actors of the civil society and in particular sport clubs is a promising approach to further strengthen well-connected, healthy and democratic societies.

MOVE2011 vital for the development of the sport sector

In his opening address Mr. Jean-Marc Roirant, Secretary General, La Ligue de l’Enseignement asserted that the coming days will provide a great forum to engage in a rich exchange that will define the role of sports and of its organisations for the years to come. Roirant affirmed his believe that sport, its organisations and volunteers play an important role in the daily life of people, as they are the field workers that are close to the citizens.

The Chief of Cabinet of the French Ministry of Sport, Mr. Richard Monnereau welcomed the MOVE2011 participants in the name of the French Sports Minister Mr. David Douillet and confirmed the minister's support for international initiatives such as the MOVE2011 congress. Monnereau stated that "the French Sport Policy considers sport in its widest sense, including urban development, health furthering activities, civil society engagement and physical activity."

He noted that the sport sector is growing, whereas this growth is taking place outside the traditional sport clubs and organisations. "Therefore it requires a consolidated effort to better understand this trend and develop strategies that aim at integrating as many citizens as possible in the organisational life, as all of us are aware of the evident societal benefits of such an engagement." In the coming years the French Ministry will further experiment and prioritize initiatives that address the new demand for alternative sport and physical activity set-ups.

ISCA President Mr. Mogens Kirkeby, concluded that the impetus given by international events such as MOVE2011 to local and national projects in particular and the development of the sport sector in general is of great importance. Kirkeby underlined that "innovative partnerships reaching-out to non-traditional partners are very important, as they develop the sport organisations' capacity to transform and adapt sport offers to new target groups."