Green League Event: Sports as a Catalyst for Social Responsibility and Sustainability

The event “Role Models and Social Responsibility in Sports’’ organized by the CARDET research center in collaboration with GDA Sports, was held successfully on Wednesday, 15 January 2025, at the Cyta Amphitheater in Nicosia.  The discussion focused on the role of sports in shaping social values, promoting sustainability, and enhancing social inclusion within the framework of the European project Green League: Sport Alliance for the Environment.

The event brought together distinguished individuals from Cypriot sports, research, and civil society, who analyzed various aspects of social responsibility, sustainability in sports through green practices, and the power of sports as a catalyst for social change.

Keynote Speakers and Outcomes 

• Nektarios Alexandrou, former international footballer, Football Youth Elite Coach, Technical Director (U14-U15) & Coach (U15) at Chalkanoras Idaliou, Founder & Director of GDA Sports LTD & Excel Football Project LTD, highlighted the importance of mental health and empowering young athletes, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to boost their confidence and help them manage pressure.
• Maria Markou, Paralympic Powerlifter, shared her personal experiences, shedding light on the strength of inclusive integration and the challenges faced by athletes with disabilities, underlining that such challenges can serve as inspiration for society.
• Panicos Xiourouppas, former international footballer, President of “Iliaktida Zois”, and Vice President of the initiative “Goal in Life’’, focused on the role of athletes as social role models, emphasizing the unifying power of sports in building bridges of understanding.
• Leontios Tselepos, Lawyer and Sports Administration Consultant, elaborated on the principles of social responsibility, highlighting the need to adopt sustainable practices to strengthen trust and connections with society.
• Constantinos Kaïlis, Operations Manager at the “Tasos Papanastasiou Foundation”, presented green initiatives in sports, stressing that environmental consciousness must be integrated into all aspects of sports activities.
• Antonis Alexopoulos, Lecturer in Sports Sociology at the European University of Cyprus, emphasized the importance of sports facilities as a basis for promoting sustainability in local communities.
• Marinos Papaioakeim, Team Leader of the Sustainable Development Department at CARDET, analyzed the role of athletes as sustainability ambassadors, pointing out their ability to inspire the younger generation to take action for the environment.
• Vanessa Symeonidou, CARDET’s Project Officer, presented the Green League project and explained how sports can connect people to the environment and encourage sustainable practices through outdoor activities and environmental awareness.

The event concluded with active dialogue and an exchange of views, reaffirming the importance of sports as a tool for social change and the promotion of sustainability and diversity. Participants expressed their commitment to creating a fairer, more inclusive, and greener future through sports.

As a symbolic yet substantial gesture, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony took place, sealing the commitment of CARDET, on behalf of the Green League project, and 10 collaborating organizations, associations, and individuals to promote the principles of the Green League Model for sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

The event was moderated by Mikaello Papadakis, Journalist and Director of Total Sports Marketing. For more information about the Green League project, visit the website here.