ESSD2024 - European School Sport Day - Education through Movement

European School Sport Day® (hereinafter: "ESSD") is a pan-European initiative with the main objectives to promote sport and health-enhancing physical activity (PA) at the international level and involve as many children and young people, schools, and organizations in PA programs as possible. In addition, ESSD aims to break down cultural barriers and contribute to social inclusion by identifying different focus topics each year. The program has been organized annually since 2015, continuously increasing the number of participating countries and students, reaching almost 2,5 million students in 41 countries in 2022. Thus, ESSD is one of the most significant events of the EWOS. By extending its primary objectives, ESSD2024, with its "Education through Movement" theme, will offer an alternative method that shows PA in the classroom has several positive effects on learning and health. We are confident that education combined with PA could motivate children to adopt a more sporty, active lifestyle, to develop such attitudes and behavioural patterns. We use ESSD to leverage the power of sports to drive meaningful impact. In 2024, the priority focus topic and the recommended activities that can promote it will be introduced in a toolkit, which provides schools relevant methodological and practical information on how physical activity can be a part of the daily routine during the school year. The project holistically implements the objectives included in the EU policies on education and sport, interlinking the policy areas defined in the Guidelines: sport, health, and education. It contributes to the development of lifelong behaviour patterns in connection with PA. Through establishing flagship events, ESSD aims to connect European youth through PA and address a vast audience, forming a community of physically active pupils across Europe.