A Championship with purpose: Equality, Social Responsibility & Sustainability
The European Universities Handball Championship represents more than a major sporting event - it is a project with a clear vision, which is proudly built upon three fundamental principles: equality, social responsibility, and sustainability. These values are, essentially, a guide to every aspect of the event’s planning and execution.
Equality: Everyone Belongs
Equality is at the core of how we believe sporting events should be designed and delivered. From the very beginning, our goal has been to create an environment where every athlete, volunteer, participant and visitor feels welcome and included. In order to give real meaning to this commitment, the OC is organizing a wheelchair handball tournament ahead of the main competition, which reinforces the idea thar inclusion is built into the foundation of this championship.
Social Responsibility: Impact Beyond the Game
Social Responsibility is also a key pillar of our approach. We perceive this event as an opportunity to do more, we want to share te true and bright value of our region. By bringing together athletes and institutions from across Europe, we aim to promote Covilhã and the University of Beira Interior’s unique potential as a destination for university sport. Through this event, our goal is to actively contribute to the development of the region, to strengthen community involvement and to place university sport at the centre of a broader movement for growth and recognition.
Sustainability: A Legacy for the Future
Sustainability underpins every decision the OC is making in the organization of this event. A great exemple of this huge commitment is that on March 22th, the OC took part in a reforestation initiative in the Verdelhos community forests. Aiming to contribute to the event’s carbon neutrality, this initiative had the purpose to neutralize the CO2 emissions as a consequence of the trips from the participating teams, while supporting the recovery this area, which was severely affected by the 2022 wildfires.
A total of 5.000 trees were donated, promoting biodiversity restoration and the protection of the local ecosystem. Additionally, the OC is also strongly commited to minimizing plastic use and water waste during the event and will promote environmental conscious behaviours across all areas of operations of the event.
Innovation and Legacy
In parallel to all these initiatives, the OC has implemented and innovative volunteer training model, designed to involve our volunteers early in the process and give them the tools, confidence and purpose to contribute meaningfully to the event. This approach not only aimed to improve the overall organization but also build stronger, more engaged teams with a real connection to the values of the championship.
This event is part of a broader goal to position both UBI and the city of Covilhã as reference points for international university sport. We are committed to delivering a championship that meets the highest standards.