The EUFestByala project is coming to an end, and the impact assessment of the Beach Sports Festival held is more than satisfactory. The Fest achieved more than bringing people together for a sports event—it activated a community, inspired individuals, strengthened organisations, and generated a replicable model for promoting health and wellbeing. The data clearly shows a substantial and lasting impact across all dimensions evaluated.
The Festival achieved a significant and lasting impact by engaging a wide and diverse audience in sport and physical activity as a means to promote a healthy lifestyle. Through its inclusive and accessible format, the Festival contributed to increased awareness among participants and the wider community of the benefits of regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and overall health and wellbeing.
The initiative also strengthened and expanded the network of organisations actively working to encourage participation in sport and physical activity for a healthy lifestyle, fostering cooperation at local, national, and European levels. In parallel, the Festival promoted volunteering in sport, generating strong interest and motivation for continued civic engagement in future sports events and related initiatives.
Furthermore, the Festival supported social inclusion through sport by creating opportunities for the participation of vulnerable groups, reinforcing the role of sport as a powerful tool for inclusion, connection, and equal access to healthy and active lifestyles.
The Fest stands as a powerful demonstration that sport, when meaningfully organised, can be a driver of social connection, health improvement, and local development.
You can read the full text of the impact assessment at the Municipality of Byala website, here: https://www.byala.org/scripts/detail/?id=1263