The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the new EMCA president Christina Tsiligkiri and Massimiliano Montanari, ICSS Chief Executive Officer, in the presence of the EMCA executive board members and Diogo Guia, Executive-Director ICSS Europe.
ICSS was founded in 2010, driven by a vision of what sport should be – a unifying, positive and inspiring force for good, free from corruption and played in stadiums and arenas that are safe for all. These values and objectives perfectly align with what EMCA stands for and the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding will bring further collaboration between EMCA and ICSS to reach these goals. Find out more about the ICSS here: https://theicss.org .
On Friday the 29th of September, EMCA held it’s bi-annual assembly in which the members actively took part in the election of the new President and board members. Today, we are proud to announce the current percentage of female representatives in EMCA’s executive Board is 57%.
New president and board members
At the General Assembly various administrative issues were addressed, including the extraordinary election for of a new president and some board members were also appointed.
Christina Tsilgikiri was officially appointed the 3rd President of EMCA, with Federico Eichberg being appointed as Honorary President of EMCA. Gabriella Bascelli was elected as the new Director for Marketing and Communication and Menelaos Demetriou appointed as a reserve member of the Auditing Body. Cristian Fabrizi was appointed as a new legal representative in Belgium.
With the new appointments, there is now a majority of female representation in the EMCA’s executive boards, which now stands at 57%. The new EMCA boards now consists of the following individuals:
Christina Tsilgikiri (Olympiacos) – President of EMCA
Vanina Milanova (Levski) – President of the Assembly
Gina Luzzatto – Secretary General
Gabriella Bascelli (Lazio) – Board Director for Marketing and Communication
Bojan Mijatović (HAŠK Mladost) – Board Director for Development
Malte Kalsbach (TSV Bayer) – Board Director for Finances
Martijn Looren de Jong – Board Director for Project Management
Auditing body members are: Kenneth Cortsen (Aalborg), Mile Samardžić (Red Star), Balint Maté (Ferencvaros), with Menelaos Demetriou (Panionios) being the reserve members.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of engagement, FC Budućnost Podgorica was excluded from the membership of EMCA.
Heritage, Legacy, Culture
During the assembly, the board proudly commemorated the milestone anniversaries of WSC (Austria) which is celebrating 140 years, our new member BEAC (Hungary) 125 years and HAŠK Mladost (Croatia) which is celebrating 120 years anniversary.
Gala dinner
EMCA’s 10 years we have celebrated at a Gala dinner hosted in Piraeus Greece. The gala dinner was hosted by Olympiacos SFP, together with municipality partners for all the EMCA members and partners that were in Piraeus. All guests enjoyed an traditional Greek dinner, providing the perfect opportunity for networking between the club representatives and partners.
An extract from the statement of the new president of EMCA Christina Tsiligkiri:
“I must add that it is a very emotional day for all of us. EMCA’s 10th anniversary marks the dawn of a new era for our association. An era heralded by Federico’s vision and innovative way of thinking. Federico was always one step ahead constantly looking to expand our association, increase its presence in the world of sports and develop its own structure. I am more than sure that – as honorary chairman – he will continue to support our actions and provide advice based on his experience and insight. I want to thank him once again for his offer. I am honored that you have appointed me as president and I promise that I will work hard from day one.
Restructuring EMCA has been our primary focus over the past two years. We have laid the foundations for a new results-oriented EMCA that can effectively develop partnerships with the world of sport. At the same time, our ten-year efforts have contributed to projecting EMCA as a capable participant in a number of European programs.
Today, EMCA can proudly say that it has managed to design and manage several projects. An activity, the essence of which is to strengthen our ranks with the expected profits. EMCA is gradually becoming a reliable partner of the European Union. EMCA’s stakeholder network is constantly expanding. The EMCA brand is now synonymous with success.
….our plan for the coming years….. high priority to our participation – as EMCA and not as individuals – in European programs.
Second, we will present our strategic marketing plan in order to increase our awareness and attract a desired clientele…..
Third, we will focus our efforts on expanding our organization. We invite new members to join us. ….”
For two days, the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus (Greece) was at the center of European sports, where on Saturday September 30, the International Conference on “Multisports & Municipality” was held. With the presence of representatives of EMCA and member clubs, as well as members of the local government, the opening remarks were given by Tomasz Frankowski (European Parliament member) and Yves Le Lostecque (Head of Unit of European Commission). The keynote speech was given by Massimiliano Montonari from ICSS (the International Center for Sport Security). There was an exchange of views on topics such as of the accessibility and inclusion in sports infrastructure, cooperation with local government to create better sports facilities, as well as encouraging participation in sports activities.
At the conference held in the Melina Merkouri hall of the Stadium of Peace and Friendship, the general public were also present, who in fact made the conference even more interactive as they participated with their questions.
In the first part of the conference, there were presentations and an exchange of views around the theme of what multisports means for local governments and how the two parties can help each other. The second part concerned the development of green and inclusive sports facilities. Finally, the third and last part of the conference dealt with the topic relating to the difference that multisports can make to each individual.
Special thanks are given to all speakers and moderators, namely:
Diogo GUIA, Adrianna ZARAKELI, Paolo BERTACCINI, Martijn LOOREN de JONG, Christina TSILIGKIRI, Voula KOZOMPOLI, Balint MATE, Stavroula ANTONAKOU, Dimitris NAKOS, Gabriella BASCELLI, Malte KALSBACH, Jordi ESCRIBA, Denis LAFOUX, Alberto BICHI and Bojan MIJATOVIĆ.
Interesting opinions were heard from both the representatives and audience members, as well as the representatives watching it online. The full conference can be viewed online here.
The conference takes place in Greece in the context of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the creation of EMCA, since Olympiacos SFP is one of the founding members.
The event is under the auspices of the Municipality of Piraeus, the Region of Attica and the UNESCO Piraeus and Islands Group.
Some of the topics to be discussed at the conference include how local government can ensure easy access to sports facilities, ensure facilities for all citizens and encourage participation in sport for all.
Moderatos of the event are Bojan Mijatovic, from EMCA and HASK Mladost, and Andrianna Zarakeli, Vice Mayor for Extroversion and EU Funding programs.
Some of the speakers will be Dimitris Nakos (General Secretary of Olympiacos), Gabriella Bascelli (Lazio Foundation), Malte Kalsbach (TSV Bayer Leverkusen), Jordi Escriba (B-Link) and Denis Lafoux (FFCO – Federation Francaise des Clubs Omnisports).
This year EMCA will be celebrating its 10th anniversary. This special celebration will take place in Piraeus, Greece on the 29th and 30th of September 2023 by organising a conference.
This unique conference will take place over 2 days and will consist of several events, including an assembly, project planning meetings and a gala dinner. The absolute highlight of our gathering will be the international conference dedicated to the European definition of multisport and the relevance that multisport clubs have played in key European municipalities and cities. Multiple (International) speakers and experts will speak at this international conference and will shed their light upon this subject. In short, an event not to be missed.
EMCA members participated in the General Assembly of EPSI, held in July in Azores, Portugal, which provided a platform for convening and discussing important matters related to sport innovation. The assembly facilitated the exchange of ideas, sharing of insights, and addressing key issues to advance the sports industry.
After the General Assembly, a two-day conference followed, during which EPSI participants and members actively engaged in detailed discussions concerning new project ideas and potential funding opportunities. This conference proved to be an invaluable opportunity for collaboration, encouraging the exploration of innovative approaches and strategies to enhance the sports sector.
Yesterday the project partner HAŠK Mladost from Zagreb, Croatia held their local sport event.
30 athletes (7 – 19 years old) living with diabetes type 1 participated in the event. They were doing all kinds of sport activities like kids atheltics, sport polygon, small football and similar.
This training was made as part of the focus groups that have been testing the handbook that has been made for all target groups: kids and youth with diabetes, their parents and most important coaches and teachers.
Thanks to DiaEuro Team Croatia junior team that come to be a part of this joint training.
Also, thanks to Zagrebacko dijabeticko drustvo and “Međimurski Slatkiši” for helping with organisation.
The 2023 EU Sport Forum is taking place in Stockholm, Sweden, from May 2-3, under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of Europe. The forum opened by Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner, and Tomasz Frankowski, member of the European Parliament.
EMCA is represented in Sweden at the 2023 EU Sport Forum by Bojan Mijatovic, Director of Development and Sustainability of EMCA.
The main focus of this year’s event is on the most pressing issues in the sports sector, with a particular emphasis on integrity, good governance, and gender equality. In addition, the forum will address sustainability in major sporting events, the significance of sports for physical and mental health, and how best to support athletes in developing skills and qualifications during and after their sports careers.
On April 23rd, 2023, the project “STAY! DECREASING TEENAGE DROPOUT IN SPORT” held its inaugural online kick-off meeting with all partners in attendance. During the meeting, initial deliverables were presented, and an overview of the project’s objectives and tasks scheduled for completion during the Preparation phase was outlined.
Preparation Phase Accomplishments
Before the kick-off meeting, several key actions were taken to establish a solid foundation for the project’s success:
– Individual Meetings: HAŠK Mladost, the project’s coordinator, conducted individual meetings with each partner to craft initial deliverables that set up the project’s operational framework and communication protocols.
– D1.1 Quality Management System: Outlines internal standards and recommendations for project management, including processes for document checks, content quality assessment, and compliance with project and EU regulations.
– D1.2 Project Roadmap: Offers a practical guide for streamlined project management, fostering efficient communication and collaboration among team members.
– D4.1 Communication and Dissemination Guidelines: Provides a strategy for communicating and disseminating project outcomes, engaging with target audiences, and maximizing impact.
The kick-off meeting marked an important milestone, setting the stage for the successful implementation of the project’s goals and objectives. The project’s launch and preparation phases laid the groundwork for subsequent activities, including fostering collaboration, ensuring smooth project management, and optimizing communication with target audiences.
