Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, was one of the keynote speakers at the CoR plenary session of 6 February. Addressing him on behalf of the ECR Group was Paweł Grzybowski, Mayor of Rypin in Poland and ECR Group Coordinator in the CoR Commission on Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC). In his speech Mr Grzybowski made the case for an EU approach to youth and sport that is place-based and localist.

“Just look at Robert Lewandowski. Who has not heard about the Polish striker who has scored more than 120 goals for Bayern Munich? And how many of you know the names of football clubs where he started his career? How many of you have heard about Varsovia, Delta Warsaw or Znicz Pruszkow? I guess not many. But it is in local football clubs and local sports centres where big careers begin”, said the ECR Member.

Mayor Grzybowski added that the biggest advantage of prosperous local sport centres is that they unite communities and encourage young people to have healthy lifestyle. “The greatest benefit they bring is that our children will live longer and healthier lives”. In Mr Grzybowski’s opinion, encouraging healthy lifestyle can be most efficient when carried out through local initiatives, but the EU can also play a role.

“The EU could help local sports centres through continuation and expansion of initiatives such as Erasmus+, in order to allow professionals to have work placements abroad or staff trainings for coaches. We very much count on this type of support especially in small and medium-size European cities”, said Mr Grzybowski.

Commissioner Navracsics welcomed these remarks and confirmed that investing in education, youth and sport is key to building a resilient and cohesive Europe.