The European School Sport Day (ESSD) is a school day dedicated to having fun, playing together and promoting physical activity and health for everyone. The Day is an opportunity not just to encourage students to #BeActive, but to empower students as leaders and advocates for health and fitness. The Day is part of the European Commission’s response to the alarming decline in sport and physical activity across all Member States.

Participation in the Day requires getting schools to #BeActive for at least 120 minutes by running, playing games, dancing, skipping rope or any other kind of physical activity.  It is a celebration which provides the opportunity for schools to:

  • Raise the profile of physical education (PE) and school sport
  • Create fun and enjoyment through physical activity initiatives for young people
  • Promote health and wellbeing for lifelong learning
  • Foster social inclusion and develop social competences among their students.

ESSD is open to any kind of physical activity that has the aim to encourage children to be active for at least 120 minutes per the day or to run or walk the distance of the given year (e.g. 2016 metres in 2016).

en_USEnglish