As part of the EDU-ACT – Educational initiative aiming to combat violence, racism, discrimination, intolerance and violent radicalization in sport project, SPORT VIV implemented the EDU-ACT sport tournament in Croatia within the County Athletics Competition for Primary and Secondary Schools of Zagreb County, held on 9 April 2026 in Zagreb.
The tournament was organised as part of Work Package 3 – Capacity building, with the aim of promoting fair play, respect, inclusion, non-discrimination and positive behaviour in grassroots sport. By linking the EDU-ACT tournament with a wider county-level school athletics competition, the project messages reached a broad school sport community and were disseminated among pupils, teachers, school sport coordinators, sport representatives and local stakeholders.
A total of 83 children from Samobor and Samobor-area primary schools were directly included in the EDU-ACT tournament activities, including 42 girls and 41 boys. The participating schools included OŠ Bogumila Tonija, OŠ Milana Langa, OŠ Rude and OŠ Mihaela Šiloboda.
The wider county athletics competition involved 23 schools, including 16 primary schools and 7 secondary schools, and brought together more than 200 children and pupils. This wider setting created an important opportunity for dissemination of EDU-ACT values beyond the direct participant group, strengthening the project’s visibility among other schools, pupils and teachers.
Through athletics disciplines and a structured sport competition environment, children were encouraged to apply key EDU-ACT messages in real sport situations: respecting rules, supporting teammates, respecting opponents, behaving responsibly and recognising that sport is not only about winning, but also about cooperation, inclusion and mutual respect.
The event also involved 23 PE teachers / school sport coordinators, as well as representatives of sport organisations, school sport structures and local stakeholders. Their participation contributed to the safe and inclusive implementation of the event and supported the promotion of positive sport values among children.
The EDU-ACT sport tournament demonstrated how existing school sport competitions can serve not only as spaces for physical activity and competition, but also as powerful platforms for education, awareness-raising and prevention of violence, racism, discrimination and intolerance in grassroots sport.
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