European Mile 2021

The European Mile 2021 will compromise 1000 simultaneous, local running and walking events all across Europe, celebrating the joy of movement and promoting equal access to be physically active. The events aim to support Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). On the 05.06.2021, the events will encourage European citizens to join in one of the European Mile local events, creating awareness and positive experiences, which in turn encourages year-long engagement to be active and maintain a physically healthy lifestyle. Moreover, participants and organizers can run or walk for a greater purpose and donate their kilometers to a good cause. Due to the short distance (1,6 kilometers; ”the mile”), the events do not require a high level of endurance or excessive training preparation and are easily replicable and expandable throughout the year. The key message is that physical activities are as well fun and social. The European Mile will engage more European citizens in healthy physical activities, by generating a feeling of togetherness, not only in the local event itself, but across the whole of Europe, as 1000 events take place simultaneously. The main target group will be inactive or less active citizens who are at the “considering step” of being physically active. The European Mile will encourage them to take action, preparing and exploring the opportunities, and move towards more sustained physical activity. The overarching goal of The European Mile is to get European citizens more physically active and in turn also healthy. The strong focus on the social aspect will lower the barriers to running in the future. Objectives: A. Raise awareness about the benefits of involvement and participation in local-led running and other physical activities. B. Engage and prepare a network of national and local MOVE Agents to deliver European Mile events. C. Evaluate and promote the use of local running initiatives year-long, and the future editions of The European Mile.