The sporting year was just the beginning: "Let's Go 2022 - we stay active"

The sports year in Graz officially came to an end, meaning that activities in the Styrian state capital have fallen asleep again, but there can be no question of that. Under the motto "Let's Go 2022 - we stay active", the momentum of the past ten months should be carried into the new year. "Sport has helped many of us through the Corona crisis, and it is more important than ever," says City Councilor Kurt Hohensinner in his review and outlook for the sports city of Graz.

“Despite all the adversities, the sporting year has come at the right time. The focus on sport was important and essential right now, so the sporting year idea and the DNA of the sporting year must remain in place, ”says Hohensinner. “We agreed on that with the old government team, and we are currently negotiating with the new coalition. Sport and especially children and adolescents shouldn't have to put back any more in this crisis, they need impulses! "

Such impulses will already be available from January 14th, when the postponed “Let's Go Ice Sports Week” in the Graz Winter World is to be rescheduled. “The program remains almost unchanged. We will set priorities on a daily basis where the respective sports can be tried out, ”says Hohensinner.

The starting signal for the ice sports week will be the cult sport of curling on January 14th. With the support of the Austrian Curling Association you can get to know this traditional and extremely exciting sport. All information about the ice sports week and the curling campaign is available at www.letsgograz.at/eissport/.

The youngest in focus

A family study carried out in the fall clearly shows the effects of the pandemic on families, parents, adolescents and children. Hohensinner: "In this difficult time, children and young people in particular have achieved great things and at the same time renounced a lot - that's why we want to focus on our youngest in 2022: They should catch up and catch up on what they have missed and missed for a long time - with Children and youth year 2022 '".

The study shows particularly clearly that exercise helps to deal better with difficult situations. Hohensinner: “When asked which things are helpful in an exceptional situation in order to cope with a stress, the sport was said to be very helpful. Parents answered yes with 88,6 percent, adolescents with 79,3 percent, and children even with 94,8 percent. It is particularly important to me not to exclude anyone from exercising. Sport shouldn't be a question of the wallet. That is why there are, for example, the free sports club memberships we have implemented for children of social card holders. "

City Councilor Hohensinner continues: “In cooperation with the Graz sports clubs, we want to continue the spirit of the sports year, which continues to offer low-threshold activities in the districts. The sport year was and is the beginning of our sport strategy 2030, with which we want to become the sportiest city in Austria. We would like to implement the mentioned children's and youth year from summer onwards, provided that the funds from the new coalition are available. "

School sports are extremely important

The still active Austrian and multiple Styrian champion in sports acrobatics Eva Kupplent, who is passionate about her sport and works both as a gymnastics teacher and in teacher training, sees (school) sports as a very important segment of health promotion. “The study that shows a massive weight gain in school students should be enough of a warning sign. We can no longer afford to shut down gym classes. Children who are only allowed to go for a walk during the period when they are supposed to exercise intensively are not motivated to participate in sports in a club. What the pandemic-related restrictions mean for competitive sport, we will not see for five years anyway. "

International competitions in 2022 as well

Graz will also be the venue for several major international events in 2022. Examples of this are the Badminton Austrian Open from May 26th to 29th in the Sportpark, the Footvolley World Challenge 2022 from June 23rd to 26th on Karmeliterplatz and the Boulder European Youth Championships 2022 from August 3rd to 6th on Mariahilferplatz .

Graz becomes Global Active City

The Global Active City Network is an essential part of the 2030 Sports Strategy. “Graz has applied to become part of this global network of cities that are dedicated to sport,” says Thomas Rajakovics, head of the Graz Sports Office, “because we saw in the sporting year that joy and commitment are mutually exclusive Moving others goes far beyond the sports clubs. "

Graz's path to becoming a Global Active City began on April 17, 2019, when those responsible for the city visited the Global Active City of Ljubljana. On April 24, 2019 Graz's interest in joining was announced in writing, the joining process started on March 3, 2020, and the first stage of the audit was completed on December 20, 2021.

The Global Active City movement was initiated by Liverpool, the IOC and the non-profit organization TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All) was founded. Thomas Rajakovics: “The most important motive for the city of Graz to participate in this“ Active City ”initiative is the underlying philosophy that increasing the physical and sporting activity of the individual not only contributes to increasing the health of these people, but also leads to better 'collective well-being' and to a sustainable positive development of urban society as a whole. It is particularly important that as many population groups as possible are addressed, especially those who, for various reasons, are more likely to be disadvantaged when it comes to participating in sports and exercise. "

Inclusion of city offices in sports strategy

The association “Active City Graz” was founded last year for the sports year. The chairman is Gerhard Peinhaupt, the vice chairwoman Julia Meder, in addition to representatives of the three sports umbrella organizations sit on the board of directors, one from the medical association, one from the economic chamber, one from the education directorate, as well as one from the MCG and the Graz holding company.

This association should continue to exist after the sports year and be expanded by one representative each from the youth welfare office, social welfare office, ABI, cultural office and health office. "Sport can achieve even more across offices and institutions, it connects and moves people who are otherwise not so easily reached, we know that, we learned that in our sporting year," says Rajakovics. “This association, with the involvement of a committee of experts, will define areas and projects that make this added value of sport for society particularly clear. Ultimately, these projects could be implemented through the association by involving the offices involved. This association will be equipped with more competencies, more possibilities and more budget to advance the project 'Global Active City'. "