EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS ASSOCIATION YEAR MAGAZINE 2023-24^92
- EUSA CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
EUSA WINTER FORUM
VAL DI ZOLDO, ITALY
DECEMBER 19, 2023
During the Winter Universities Championships in Val di Zoldo, EUSA
organized the Winter Forum under the title Sustainable Winter
Sport Events: The Future of Winter University Sports Events.
The Forum saw more than
60 participants, among them
officials, athletes, EUSA
Executive Committee members,
and other guests.
The event was moderated by
Sara Rozman, EUSA Education
and Development Manager,
and was officially opened by
Haris Pavletic, EUSA 1st Vice-
President, and Massimo Zanotto,
President of the Organizational
Committee and CUS Venezia,
who both delivered welcome
addresses.
The Forum started with the
opening remarks given by
Milan Zvan, EUSA Executive
Committee Member and
Chair of EUSA Education
Commission. Zvan shared with
the audience his perspectives on
sustainability in sports, possible
strategies and tools to combat
the topic.The keynote speech was given
by Susanna Sieff, Sustainability
Director of the International
Ski and Snowboard Federation.
Sieff’s keynote address focused
mainly on the climate change
impact on sports, essential
threats to outdoor sports, the
influence of global warming,
wrapped up with a great portion
of useful statistical data. She
stated that sport should serveas a platform to influence
people, stakeholders, athletes
and other people involved in
participating in organizing sport
events to practice and use
more sustainable behaviours,
solutions and to play sports as
a direct actor of change. At the
end, Sieff also presented the
sustainable action plan adopted
by the International Ski and
Snowboard Federation.Next on the programme were
presentations and round
table discussion on the topic
of meeting the challenges of
winter university sports events.
Natasa Jankovic, the moderator,
hosted the representatives offour National University Sports
Federations: Marina Tezriyska
from Bulgaria, representing the
Association for University Sport
“Akademik”, Premys Dusek from
the Czech University Sports
Association, Massimo Zanotto
from the Italian University
Sport Federation, and Andrzej
Burzynski from the University
Sports Association of Poland.
The speakers presented their
own national winter sports
events and challenges they are
facing. In the discussion that
followed, Jankovic focused on
sustainability strategies put into
practice, good practice examples
and key factors of success, such
as funding opportunities.