Water Activities Valorizing European Socialization.

WAVES - Water Activities Valorizing European Socialization - was an Erasmus+ Sport promoted by sport clubs and education centres. The Project had a duration of 24 months, but, unfortunately, the last 12 months were interested by COVID-19 pandemic that did not allow the realization of some of the scheduled mobility activities. The project started in January 2019 and the Applicant Organization was represented by "U.I.S.P Comitato territoriale Viterbo" (IT) and originally it involved four other organizations, namely: "I HARA TOU PAIDIOU" (EL), "CENTRE4EDUCATION" (ES), "BASILIKO ATHLITIKO MORFOTIKO ORTHODOXO SOMATEIO BAMOS" (CY) and "Biedriba GRIBU BUT" (LV). Originally, the Project foresaw 5 transnational project meetings among athletes (institutional moments,tournaments,trainings,walkings,mapping of the trails along rivers,lakes,seas,international final conference,presentation of the intellectual output, signature of the Agreement) and 2 transnational staff meetings in each one of the involved Countries to manage and organize the events, but actually it managed to carry out a total of five of the seven foreseen meetings: the first transnational staff meeting together with the first transnational Project meeting in Jurmala (LV) in May 2019; the second transnational staff meeting together with the second trasnational project meeting in Deryneia (CY) and the third transnational meeting in Viterbo (IT) in December 2019. The main objective of WAVES was to encourage and to increase the participation in sport and physical activities, especially throughout the support of social inclusion and equal opportunities.One of the aims of the Project was also the spread of the campaign focused on EUWeek of Sport2019/2020. In particular WAVES chose to settle its action plan on a dual directive: on one hand, it promoted the knowledge and the participation in beach and water sports and health-enhancing physical activities; on the other hand, it promoted the preservation of the natural environment (lakes, rivers and seas), with a deep positive impact also in the future. The Partners joined together to focus on the importance of having awareness on the benefits brought by health-enhancing physical activities through increased participation, and WAVES appeared to be in line with the principles stated by the Council of the European Union.The target group was represented by athletes, coaches, trainers, amateurs, presidents, sport stakeholders, physiotherapists,volunteers and nutritionists, from 18 till 45 years old, facing the same type of problems, even though living in different nations and having different approaches to sport.The involved sports were beach and water sports,a wide range of activities in/by the sea, river and the lake(beach volley,beach soccer,kayaking,rowling,beach aerobics,rafting,swimming,kitesurf, dodgeball,beach tennis,sailing,yoga). The general objectives of WAVES were to promote voluntary activities in sport, together with social inclusion, equal opportunities and awareness of the importance of health-enhancing physical activities through increased participation in, and equal access to sport for all.The relevant actions carried out during the Project, beside the Transnational Staff Meetings and the Transnational Project Meetings, were:-Transnational Awareness Campaign on the European Week of Sport 2019/2020 and on the lifelong benefits of beach and water sports;-Online Beach and Water Sport Programme and Train the Trainers Programme;-Lifelong Beach and Water Sport Open Days(seminars,workshops,round tables,brainstorming sessions);-Local Beach and Water Sport Open Days(free courses,training sessions and friendly competitions);-Production of the intellectual output("WAVES Guidelines of Beach and Water Sport Teaching Models")