Foda, Pizzera, Gabalier, Schmid, Hoschek and Co: Many celebrities support the Graz Sports Year and are the first ambassadors for “Mission 2021”.

Sport moves and inspires the public. He brings people together, ensures inclusion and community, but above all many emotional moments. As different as society is, people are often united in sport. This is also the aim of the Graz Sports Year from March 1st: “Let's Go Graz” should represent something of a departure after all the challenging months. "We want to give the go-ahead at the beginning of the sports year and motivate everyone to exercise more," explains the City Councilor for Sports Kurt Hohensinner, “Last year in particular, we noticed how much we often miss sport. With the sporting year we want to create a spirit of optimism and move the people of Graz. "

The city of Graz has set itself the goal of becoming the sportiest city in Austria during the sporting year. This requires people, multipliers, ambassadors who stand up for this path and support it. Exactly these positive role models and fellow campaigners can now contribute to the “Mission 2021”. "Our goal is to win ambassadors by the end of the sporting year 2021 who will set a good example and work with their positive energy for more sport and exercise," said Hohensinner. The mission starts with 21 prominent testimonials: “We have been able to win over personalities from sports, music, culture, fashion, medicine and society. They all support the sports year in a variety of ways, thereby underlining the importance and importance of sports and exercise. ”Another 2000 ambassadors are to be found in the course of the year. So a total of 2021 people who promote and support the sports year, do positive word of mouth or post photos and videos via their social media channels and thus encourage and motivate others to participate. Anyone who is interested can register via the homepage - on www.letsgograz.at/mission2021. Incidentally, the honor of opening the “race” for the 2000 ambassadors was Olympic champion Harry Winkler granted. He, too, has already registered as an ambassador on the homepage.

“With this mission we want to reach as many sports fans as possible and encourage them to get involved in sport. Because a project like this lives from the people and also from the fact that the information is spread as widely as possible, ”emphasizes the program coordinator Markus Pichler. Every ambassador is published on the homepage with name and photo / video, receives exclusive information about the sporting year by email and a small starter package with a “Let's Go Graz” t-shirt. Hohensinner adds: “The 2021 ambassadors for the sporting year will continue to play a role after December 31st. For us, they should continue to be multipliers for sport and exercise - also as a sign that the sporting year is only the beginning of a long-term strategy that should lead to membership in the worldwide network of 'Global Active Cities'. "

Olympic champion Harry Winkler (GEPA pictures / Active City Graz)

"Let's Go pick-me-ups" as the starting shot for the sporting year

The Graz sports year starts on March 1st with an unprecedented exercise initiative. Every day, under the title “Let's Go Muntermacher”, special hands-on videos with simple but effective exercises are posted on the Antenne Steiermark homepage (www.antenna.at) released. “We want to encourage the whole of Styria to do more sport and exercise. In the current situation in particular, we are realizing more and more that a boost in motivation is needed so that people - regardless of whether they are young or old - get going again. That is the idea behind this initiative, it is definitely the right sign at the right time, ”said Pichler, who is pleased that with Franco Foda a great role model was won as a "trainer" for the campaign: "But there are other prominent personalities on board - let yourself be surprised."

The program for March was adapted due to the current COVID measures. All information in this regard will be announced at the opening press conference on March 3rd.