On its latest meeting, which took place in Prague, Czech Republic, on February 29 - March 2nd, the ISCA Executive Committee decided upon the top prioritised topics for the future work of ISCA. Health and Environment were among the top issues, but also integration, leadership education, volunteerism and facility management made it to the list of priorities. ISCA president Mogens Kirkeby invites Sports Ministers to closer cooperation. Read more here

Agreement has just been reached that ISCA and CESS are to co-organize the 2nd European Sport for All Congress from 23-26 October 2008 in Barcelona, Spain. UBAE will be local host.

ISCA General Assembly 2008 will take place on 23 October.

First announcements can be expected in April - but mark your calendar already now!

ISCA is pleased to welcome Saskia van de Nieuwenhof (Netherlands), Antonio Saccone (Italy), Saska Benedicic Tomat (Slovenia), Hanne Müller (Denmark), Tatiana Camargo (Brazil) and Jacob Schouenborg (Denmark) as staff. These persons join Karine Teow (France), Jean-Luc Frast (Luxembourg), Mette Ravn (Denmark) and Marvin Radford (USA) in carrying out the day to day operations of ISCA around the globe.

ISCA President Mogens Kirkeby states "This significant human resource development within ISCA is necessary as we continue to serve the demands and wishes of our members while promoting sport for all around the world."

You are welcome to visit the profiles of ISCA staff here.

ISCA member organisation, Punjab Cultural Promotion Council, India, hosted 31 international folk artists, choreographers, musicians, students and dancers from Crete, Greece and Russia for participation in four major international events in Punjab in February 2008. See more here.

Play the Game has ensured its financial foundation as Danish Government decided to triple support to 200.000 Euros annually. Meanwhile, three European cities have expressed an interest to host the next Play the Game sports journalism conference. See more here.

Movin' CPH - the international sport event to discover and try new trends in physical activity and gymnastics, is cancelled in 2008, but will be back in 2011. See more here.

Vacances pour tous Savioe offers a last minute skiing oppoutunity in Courchevel, France. The available dates are the 5th to the 12th of April 2008, and approx. 50 places are available at "Lionel Terray". Read more here.

ISCA has since 2004 hosted the secretariat of the Nordic Youth Association (NSU).

On April 11 – 13 the NSU Annual Meeting will take place in Helsinki, Finland, hosted by the Finish Swedish Youth Organisation (FSU). At the meeting strategies and future activities of NSU will be discussed and the Executive Committee will be elected. Also the cooperation with ISCA will be debated. It is expected that all Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Faeroes and Greenland) will be represented at the Annual Meeting.

To know more about NSU please consult the homepage http://www.nsu.is/ (Scandinavian languages)

Please contact Secretary General Mette Ravn nsu@nsu.is if you have any questions.

Physical Activity Towards a Healthier Europe (PATHE) is the latest ISCA project to receive public support. ISCA has signed a grant contract with the Public Health Executive Agency of the European Commission worth 258.000€ over a thirty month period.

The associate partners of PATHE are:
 - Slovenian Sports Union (SUS)
 - Unione Italiana sport per tutti (UISP)
 - Union Sportive de l'Enseignement du Premier degré (USEP)
 - Danish Gymnastics and Sports Association (DGI)

In short the project sets out to meet the following general objectives:
1. Build capacity within SFA organisations to develop effective national campaigns to make selected targeted audiences aware of the necessity to lead healthy lifestyles by doing physical activity and to broaden the availability of physical activity programmes to be goal oriented and inclusive rather than exclusive.
2. Disseminate knowledge on the promotion of health and physical activity throughout Europe.

PATHE will match partners experienced in developing national ”health promotion through sport” campaigns with less experienced partners that wish to develop national campaigns. Organizational twinnings will raise awareness as to the possibilities for fulfilling integrative approaches on lifestyle within the area of physical activity and health.

PATHE will develop a best practice handbook for the dissemination of knowledge, best practice and lessons learned within the area of physical activity and health.

If your organisation has a specific interest in health activities, we encourage you to join the PATHE activities.

Project manager: Mette Ravn: mr@isca-web.org
Project coordinator: Saska Benedicic Tomat: saska.bt@s5.net