ISCA - International Sport and Culture Association has kick-started a movement to get 100 million more Europeans to take up regular physical activity by 2020.

Around 250,000 Europeans are about to celebrate Europe’s biggest sport and physical activity event: ISCA's "MOVE week", which takes off today with 1,102 events in 32 countries. 

The International Sports and Culture Association is leading the way to encourage 100 million more Europeans to become physically active by 2020. More and more health experts are concluding that physical inactivity poses the greatest health risk to Europeans in the future. That is why the International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA), in partnership with the European Cyclists’ Federation and Eurosport has kick-started the NowWeMove movement that culminates in the MOVE Week.

A record number of 1,102 events will be held in more than 30 European countries during MOVE Week on October 7-13, with thousands of Europeans running, dancing, cycling, skating, jumping and juggling their way through the continent’s biggest sport and physical activity event. MOVE Week showcases how collaboration across several sectors (including sport, education, urban planning, transport and the media) can ensure that citizens have access to plenty of opportunities to become physically active.

“The benefits of recreational sport and physical activity are well documented", says ISCA President Mogens Kirkeby. "MOVE Week is a unique opportunity for all Europeans to start moving together".

It is indeed a bit of a shock realizing that physical inactivity among European citizens is a bigger threat to public health than smoking. And with two out of three Europeans aged 15 or older fail in meeting recommended amount of 30 minutes exercise per day, physical activity must made it to the political agenda.

“The lack of physical activity among Europeans is alarming", notes Danish MEP Morten Løkkegaard. "MOVE Week is an excellent way to leverage physical activity into the minds of policy makers”.

The European Commission’s survey series, Eurobarometer, has documented how strikingly disproportionate physical activity levels are around Europe. For example, while Danes are among the most physically active, only 18% of Bulgarians participate in sport or another form of exercise regularly. It is this growing gap between nations that has prompted the European Commission to pledge € 1 million in support of MOVE Week in 2013.

For more information about MOVE Week, please visit nowwemove.com or contact Elina Baltatzi at e.baltatziMoveWeek@ecf.com or Mobile: +32 0494247220.

 About the Author

Alessio Punzi is a Communications Assistant at the European Cyclists’ Federation. He has a Master's Degree in Sports Management and has previously worked in Rome for a sports events firm. His interests focus on the health benefits of cycling, the related savings for health services and the corresponding EU policies.