Cork City Councillor Kieran McCarthy (Ind), European Alliance coordinator for SEDEC Commission, participated this week as a panellist representing the EU Committee of the Regions at the EU Forum on Sport in The Hague, Netherlands. He noted that sport is happening extensively at the local and regional level, so local and regional authorities (LRAs) play a fundamental role in developing the European dimension of sport. Local and regional authorities (LRAs) create a multi-level governance approach that has the potential to bridge between EU and local levels, by also helping to reaching out to clubs, schools or parents' initiatives.
LRAs have a vital role in coordinating all the various stakeholders involved in sport in their areas, in particular by providing support for associations and voluntary activity in the sector. “Regions and municipalities are surely the most adapted echelon to promote physical activity and sports for all. LRAs provide funding for sports activities and the facilities so to help ensure the provision of sport services to the public. This is paramount to us as they are important instruments for furthering social inclusion and fighting discrimination”.
Continuing, Cllr McCarthy called for coordinated awareness-raising campaigns on existing sporting opportunities. Such campaigns could be set up at European level but must be brought down to the regional and local levels, where specific opportunities are available.
“The future European Week of Sport is a good vehicle in this sense. There is a need to reach and involve the regional and local level, using a vibrant motto in the communication campaign. Cllr McCarthy also noted that a community investing in culture, education and sport also creates more wealth, welfare and safety. “While education gives young people the necessary skills and knowledge to find a job and make a living, sport gives us health and a healthy preoccupation to youngsters. For this we need a transversal and multidisciplinary approach to promote recreational and physical activity at all levels whilst taking into account what sport can bring to each sector: industry, public health, growth, education, environment, urban planning etc”.
