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OBJECTIVES OF UBC COMMISSION ON SPORT

• Karlskrona - Sweden (2007)
• Gdynia - Poland (2006)                                                                              
• Klaipėda - Lithuania (2005)
• Narva - Estonia - (2004)
• Aalborg - Denmark (2003)
• Karlskrona - Sweden (2002)
• Sopot - Poland (2001)
• Panevėžys - Lithuania (2000)
• Gdynia - Poland (1999)
• Šiauliai - Lithuania (1998)
• Cetniewo - Poland (1997)                               
• Karlskrona - Sweden (1996)                               
• Gdynia - Poland (1995)                                                                                           
  

           Meetings to be held in the future 

•  Liepaja - Latvia (2008)

Karlskrona (Sweden) 19-21.04.2007 - "Sport - a Healthy Alternative"
The UBC Commission on Sport Annual Meeting entitled "Sport - a Healthy Alternative" gathered representatives of 8 cities from 7 countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Sweden. With sport as a healthy alternative being the main subject of this year's meeting, Karlskrona speakers (among whom there was a Sweden's Governmental Drug Coordinator) presented ways of preventing unhealthy and addictive lifestyles (such as drug addiction, doping), whereas in the second part of the meeting speakers from Turku (Finland) and local ones from Karlskrona focused on methods of promoting healthy habits.
Additionally, meeting participants had an opportunity to see the implementation of healthy lifestyle polices in practise, and thus visited the Karlskrona Indoor Athletic Arena and Telenor Arena Karlskrona. Moreover, during the meeting Mrs Beata Łęgowska was re-elected the Chairperson of the UBC Commission on Sport, and Mrs Camilla Brunsberg was nominated the Commission's Vice Chairperson. Furthermore, at the meeting there was presented 2007 grant awarding procedure entitled "Always Active". By allocating the grants the UBC Commission on Sport wanted to award those projects which encouraged elderly people to keep physically active and increased their functional capacity as well as promoted sport as a way of preventing various illnesses. As usual the Commission's grants were addressed exclusively to UBC member cities.

Gdynia (Poland) 04-06.05.2006 – “Active Living”        
The UBC Commission on Sport Annual Meeting entitled "Active Living" gathered representatives of 17 cities from 11 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and Belarus. The meeting consisted of two thematic blocks: the first one was devoted to multifunctional sports arenas. There were presentations of sports arenas in the cities of Gdynia (Poland), Rostock (Germany), Karlskrona (Sweden), Gladsaxe near Copenhagen (Denmark). The presentations consisted in demonstrating a management system of sports facilities as well as ways of promoting sport among inhabitants of all age groups from the a/m cities. 
The second block dealt with best practices connected with active living programmes - "Cities on the Move". This part of the Annual Meeting was prepared in cooperation with the Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association. The first presentation entitled "One step - better than nothing" showed how Turku (Finland) promotes healthy lifestyle as well as encourages its inhabitants to be active. Moreover, the representatives of Baltic Region Healthy Cities Association presented the programme "Schools on the move" whose objective is to make schooldays (especially school breaks) more physically active. Next, a representative of Polva (Estonia) presented the town's experiences in developing healthy and active strategies. The following presentation was focused on "Exercise and Diet on Prescription" - the initiative implemented in Copenhagen. 
Moreover, at the meeting there was presented 2006 grant awarding procedure entitled "cities on the Move". By allocating the grants the UBC Commission on Sport wanted to award those projects which allowed people (especially sedentary ones) to keep fit all the year round (first of all during autumn/winter season) as well as to encourage people of all age groups to be active all the year round and to develop their active living habits.

Klaipėda (Lithuania) 14-16.04.2005 – "Healthy Lifestyle through Sport"
One of the questions posed during the 10^th Jubilee Annual Meeting of UBC Commission on Sport organised in Klaipėda on 14^th-16^th April 2005 was how to motivate people to be more active. Participants from 13 UBC member cities from 6 countries discussed the issue of physical activity and health promotion presented by professor H. Löllgen (Germany) and Mr. D. Kepenis from Palanga School of Health (Lithuania). Moreover, two practical examples were shown by Ms H. Parkkunen (Finland) – Healthy City Programme carried out in collaboration with WHO and by Ms B. Grüner (Germany) – Interreg III C SportUrban Project. During the meeting of the Commission on Sport Ms Beata Łęgowska (Gdynia) was re-elected Chairperson for the next term of office and Ms Lena Ryge (Karlskrona) was elected Vice-chairperson. Furthermore, there was a presentation of the 10 years of Commission’s activity made by Ms Ewa Depka (Gdynia) as well as of 2005 grant awarding procedure entitled “Healthy Lifestyle through Sport”. By awarding grants for sports projects, the Commission on Sport wanted to demonstrate the importance of a healthy lifestyle. It is known that regular physical activity reduces mortality by 36 %, improves the quality of life and slows down the aging process. Even 30 minutes daily of physical activity prolongs your life, reduces overweight and decreases medical and economic costs.

Narva (Estonia) 2-3.04.2004 – "Education through Sport"
The meeting was attended by representatives of 12 cities from 7 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. In response to the announcement of European Year of Education through Sport by the Council of European Union, the Commission on Sport devoted its meeting to this particular subject. Among the presentations, there were examples of projects on education through sport carried out in the fields of sailing, rugby and kick-boxing. The main objective of the sporting activities organised was to encourage young people to develop themselves both physically as well as socially. This aim was obtained through teaching such abilities as team work, solidarity, tolerance and fair play rules. As a part of the celebrations of the European Year of Education through Sport, the Commission decided to award grants for the organisation of sporting events with special emphasis put on counteracting social exclusion of socially disadvantaged groups. It was the aim of the a/m grants to raise awareness among educational and sporting organisations in order to stimulate their cooperation in the field of education through sport. Awarding grants also aimed at promoting values of sport and increasing the number of school and sports exchanges among young people.  

Aalborg (Denmark) 11-13.04. 2003
The 2003 Annual Meeting in Denmark gathered representatives of 6 cities from 4 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. Its title was “Sport as a rehabilitation tool for integration”. In addition to discussing organizational matters, UBC Social Campaign “Without Limits”- Agenda 22 was presented together with the other presentations, namely: (1) “Broadness for the most important life spheres among disabled people” (Jorn Erik Edsbo); (2) “Youth Games in Aalborg with special focus on the sport for disabled persons” (Mette Bertelsen), (3) “Sport as a rehabilitation tool for integration - A life after the working life” (Arne Odgaard), (4) “Senior Sport project” (Kristine Langagergaard), (5) “Sport as an integration tool for refugees/fugitives” (Morten Ubbesen). Additionally, the participants of the meeting could see how it feels to be disabled during a study tour in “The Association for Disabled in Aalborg ”. In relation to the announcement of the year 2003 - European Year of People with Disabilities, the Commission had decided to initiate Equal Opportunity Prize instead of allocating grants.

Karlskrona (Sweden) 15-16.03.2002
The 2002 Annual Meeting of the Commission was held in Sweden with the participation of representatives of 13 cities from 5 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden. The subject of the meeting was “Integration of the disabled through sport”. Apart from formal issues such as last year’s Commission Activity Report discussed in the course of the meeting, the following presentations were given: (1) “Integration of the disabled through sport on the example of Gdynia, Poland” (Beata Wachowiak-Zwara); (2) “Sports Activities of the Disabled on the example of Karlskrona, Sweden” (Thomas Hall); (3) “The Sport Union of the Disabled in Aalborg” (Jan Sörensen, Arne Odgaard); (4) “Sports for the Disabled in  Sweden” (Lars Hjeltman). In addition, grants for sporting events were allocated. 

Sopot (Poland) 7.04.2001
The representatives of 13 cities from 7 countries: Lithuania,  Latvia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland participated in the annual meeting held in Sopot. During the meeting speeches were given on the following topics: (1) “Senior Sport Project” by  Aalborg, (2) “Network for the European Youth Work in Sports” by  Frankfurt am Main and (3) “Unihockey – Sport for Everyone” by Gdynia. Furthermore, the possibilities of the EU support for sporting events organisation were presented by the UBC EU Co-ordinator. Following the tradition, UBC Commission on Sport awarded grants for organising sporting events. On the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of UBC, additional grants were allocated to increase the promotion of the Union.

Panevėžys (Lithuania) 28-30.04.2000
The 2000 Annual Meeting of the Commission was held in   Lithuania with the participation of representatives of 7 cities from 4 countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark and Poland. They made a short presentation on the organisation of sports structures in their cities, quantity and quality of sports facilities, functioning of sports clubs as well as the most popular sport disciplines among the inhabitants and the results they achieve. Moreover, the subsidiary work within the Commission, the work organisation of the Commission’s Secretariat in Gdynia was presented and each member of the Commission was encouraged to undertake and to implement their own sporting initiatives. Moreover, traditionally grants for sporting events were allocated.

Gdynia (Poland) 18-20.06.1999
Representatives of 8 cities from 3 countries: Lithuania Russia and Poland participated in the meeting. During the meeting there were discussed current issues regarding the Commission as well as international sporting events organised by the participating cities. Some of them were granted financial support of the Commission.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES PRIZE - YEAR 2003 -

The "Equal Opportunities Prize" of 3000 EUR was founded by the UBC Commission on Sport in response to the decision of the Council of European Union to announce 2003 the European Year of People with Disabilities. The Prize's objective was to focus undertaken activities on achieving equal rights for people with disabilities as well to support their full integration into the society.The Prize was to be awarded to one UBC member city for the best organised (1) sporting event addressed to people with disabilities or (2) sporting event with participation of both the disabled and able-bodied.

It was the city of Tallinn which was presented with 3000 EUR during the VII UBC General Conference in Klaipėda (Lithuania) on 18^th October 2003. Tallinn was awarded the Prize for the organisation of the 6^th European Athletics Championship of the Deaf, a sporting event that took place from 13^th to 19^th July 2003. 240 sportsmen participated in the championship and among them there were 169 disabled. The sportsmen represented 19 countries. The Championship was accompanied by a rich cultural programme organised by the city which offered performances, folk dances, pantomime, games, and integrating events. A performance of the deaf was organised for the participants and the audience.

The jury took the decision to present Tallinn with Equal Opportunities Prize because the event organised by this city really proved that sport is a universal language of communication for disabled people of Europe. The sporting event that took place in Tallinn was the fullest realisation of integration idea. It put the emphasis not only on the integration of the disabled sportsmen with other participants but also with the general public.

In addition three cities were distinguished by the Commission on Sport:

• Aalborg, Denmark for Youth Games 2003
• Rostock, Germany for Rostock Marathon Night
• Šiauliai, Lithuania for Šiauliai Sports Day
  

EDUCATION THROUGH SPORT - YEAR 2004

In 2004 the UBC Commission on Sport paid special attention to sports projects with an educational aspect. The a/m priority complied with the decision of the Council of European Union to announce 2004 – the European Year of Education Through Sport whose motto was “Move your body, stretch your mind”. The year’s objectives were, among others:

• to take advantage of sport values
• to encourage young people to develop their physical as well as social capabilities
• to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the potential of sport in education

In the year 2004 the Commission on Sport decided to award grants for the organisation of sporting competitions, initiatives and activities having an educational aspect.

The Commission awarded grants for the organisation of the following projects:

• Healthy Mind and Sporty Body, Jõhvi, Estonia
• European Mobility Week 2004, Chojnice, Poland
• Education and Sport - a Task for Everybody, Rostock, Germany
• My yard - a different yard - crackdown programme against social maladaptation of difficult youth, Gdynia, Poland
• ports and Community - Manifest of Successful and Targeted Partnership, Šiauliai, Lithuania
• Days of Narva, Narva, Estonia

In addition, member cities shared their experiences connected with education through sport in one of the issues of UBC Bulletin devoted only to this subject

.HEALTHY LIFESTYLE tHROUGH SPORT – yEAR 2005

“Healthy Lifestyle through Sport” Grants Allocated by UBC Commission on Sport in 2005

In the year 2005 UBC Commission on Sport allocated grants of total amount of 5000 EUR. “Healthy Lifestyle through Sport” grants were awarded to raise awareness of the importance of sport as an integral element of healthy lifestyle and to promote healthy lifestyle practices.

The following projects were awarded grants:

• International Youth Day 2005, Pärnu, Estonia
• Go in for Sports and You Will Live Healthy,Panevėžys, Lithuania
• Liepāja Sporting Weekend, Liepāja, Latvia
• Table Tennis – a Way to Healthy Lifestyle, Koszalin, Poland
• Summer Beach Tournaments in Gdynia, Poland

UBC SOCIAL CAMPAIGN “WITHOUT LIMITS"

• UBC_Social_Campaign_Questionnaire – the questionnaire was distributed among UBC member cities and its results became a basis for the evaluation of fields of cooperation among self-governments. The two basic aspects that may create self-governmental joint cooperation are job activation of the disabled and care of people with mental handicap.

• UBC Conference “Without Limits” ( 27^th – 28^th September 2002, Gdynia – Poland)
  The conference presented Swedish experience of disability policy planning at local level known as Agenda 22,an official view of the EU on the disabled as well as examples of specific projects realized by a nongovernmental sector, e.g. Polish Association of the Friends of “Integration” and Polish Association of People with Mental Handicap, Branch in Gdynia. Among projects which met with great interest there were psychological ones Cover and Harmony elaborated by J. Szulkowska, Ph. D. (Gdynia, Poland) which presented ways of coming out of the disability as well as the project showing the place of people with disabilities in e-society, characterised by K. Kikkas, Ph. D. (Tallinn, Estonia). During the conference, Gdynia, as the first Polish municipality, accepted the document Agenda 22 – Disability Policy Planning Instructions for Local Authorities which was prepared by the Swedish Co-operative Body of Organisations of Disabled People. Agenda 22, written on the basis of 22 Standard Rules of UN General Assembly, is a guide for self-governments which facilitates local disability policy planning.
  
  
• Baltic Cities Bulletin “Cities Without Limits

In co-operation with UBC Secretariat, the whole issue of the first Bulletin in 2003 was dedicated to experiences of the Baltic cities with respect to the disability policies and the situation of the disabled in these cities. It presented specific projects and solutions implemented in different UBC member cities. 25 cities shared their experiences connected with removing architectural barriers and providing the disabled with assistance in gaining access to education, culture and work

• National Conference “Open Cities – Local Governmental Actions in Relation to the Disabled” (May 2003)

On 26^th May 2003, Gdynia City Hall together with the Polish Rehabilitation Fund for the Disabled organised a nationwide conference entitled “Open Cities – Local Governmental Actions in Relation to the Disabled”. The Conference in Gdynia gathered 80 participants from many Polish cities representing local authorities and the representatives of NGOs. During the conference the problem of accessibility of the cities as well as the actions of local governments in connection with people with disabilities were discussed together with the possibility of cooperation between local authorities and the Polish Rehabilitation Fund for the Disabled. In the course of the conference the Agenda 22 was also presented and handed over to the representatives of particularcities.

• International­_Art_Competition_“Dreams_Without_Limits ...”

Gdynia organised International Art Competition “Dreams Without Limits”. The main objective of the competition was to raise consciousness of UBC member cities in respect to the rights of disabled children and youth to equal education as well as to support the integration of these children in the society and to promote the development of the disabled through art. The competition was addressed to disabled children and youth at the age of 10 - 16, coming from the 102 Union of the Baltic Cities members.

• Art Exhibitions
  As the result of the art competition there has been created a big collection of children's works which constitutes the material for the so-called "travelling exhibitions". The organiser's aim is to show the works in the UBC member cities. The following schedule for the exhibition entitled "Dreams Without Limits" was issued:

- Gdynia (Poland) 15.09-12.10.03, "Ratusz" Gallery
- Klaipėda (Lithuania) 17-19.10.03, Drama Theatre, during the VII UBC Conference in Klaipėda
- Gdynia ( Poland), December 2003, Gallery in the "Nadmorski" Hotel
- Szczecin (Poland), March 2004, City Hall Gallery
- Rostock (Germany), December 2004, Rostock City Hall
- Tallinn (Estonia), March - May 2005
- Vilnius (Lithuania), June 2005, Vilnius Gallery for Children
   and Youth

Since January 2004 the exhibition has been available to the other UBC members. The applications from the cities willing to host the exhibition should be sent to the following address: ubcsport@gdynia.pl

• UBC Calendar
  
  2004

On the basis of the gathered material, the Commission on Sport published a 2004 calendar containing works sent for “Dreams Without Limits” competition. The distribution of the calendar among member cities took place during VII UBC General Conference in Klaipėda. The calendars were also sent to the major European institutions UBC cooperates with.

2005

In co-opration with the Merck company another calendar was published for the year 2005.

             
      January                  February                 March                    April 

           
        May                      June                         July                      August

           
     September              October               November              December

COOPERATION WITH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS

Activity Report submitted during the IX UBC General Conference in Parnu, 27-28 September 2007.

Activity Report submitted at the 47th UBC Executive Board meeting, Gdynia, 19-20 October 2006

Activity Report submitted during the VIII General Conference in Turku, 29 September - 2 October 2005

Activity Report submitted at the Executive Board meeting in Riga, on 16 October 2004

Activity Report submitted during the VII UBC General Conference in Klaipėda, 18 October 2003

Activity Report submitted at the Executive Board meeting in Umeå, 28-29 March 2003.

Activity Report submitted at the Executive Board meeting in Viljandi, 7-8 June 2002.

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Here you can see the complete list of contact persons for the Commission on Sport.

Here you can see the list of e-mail addresses to the Commission on Sport departments in member cities.

In case of changes or applications please contact Ms Joanna Leman, e-mail: ubcsport@gdynia.pl