> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://activeforhealth.eu/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Active for Health International Conference 2026, Verona - URL: https://activeforhealth.eu/active-for-health-inteconference-report/ - Published: 2026-10-28T19:50:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-13T16:56:04.000Z - Description: Making movement easier to choose ... and harder for systems to ignore. - Author: Raffaella Chiodo Karpinsky - Tags: News, IC2026 Verona, Events, Promo This conference, the final event of the *EHLA (European Healthy Lifestyle Actions)* project, took place on Wednesday 28 October in Verona. The International Conference brought together experts and advocates of wellbeing from across Europe. In addition to **Union Italiana Sport per Tutti** (UISP), the Italian partner that hosted the event, all the international partners in the project consortium played an active role: **Surpass Sport Systems** (SURPASSPORT) from Ireland, **SportDrenthe** and **Kinetic Analysis BV** from the Netherlands, and **Spor Istanbul** from Türkiye. At the heart of the event was a shared and crucial objective: combating a sedentary lifestyle in Europe and promoting healthy lifestyles. Throughout the sessions, the Conference offered the opportunity to spread and disseminate EHLA project’s results and inputs. In particular the meeting marked the culmination of a process of research and knowledge-sharing on best practices adopted in the various countries. By analysing the various national approaches, the partners mapped out a path towards structural change, exploring how to facilitate choices linked to wellbeing and transform them into genuine ‘systemic opportunities’. The exchange of expertise was rich in insights, providing participants with new strategies to promote active lifestyles across all age groups. Speakers at the event represented a good advocacy dynamics picture able to achieve positive results. In fact this dialogue is a prerequisite to produce useful processes in the HEPA promotion. Involvement of stakeholders from civil society organizations and public institutions starts from the reciprocal recognition of competences and roles. This allow to play effectively on the ground in order to create more physically and socially active European citizens. Experts and local stakeholders, local administration and authorities from communities where Pilot actions took place, all of them gave a vital contribution in the different sessions. Our speakers representing the project were: - Adrian Geissel (SURPASSPORT and EHLA Project Coordinator) - Massimo Gasparetto (UISP National Head of Health Policy) - Elisa Petrini (Pilot actions referent in Verona UISP committee) - Diana Morandi (UISP Verona Local Committee President) - Raffaella Chiodo Karpinsky (UISP EHLA project coordinator) - Hans Derks and Christel de Jong (Sport Drenthe) - Melvin Franken (Kinetic Analysis) - Tümay Erdil (Spor Istanbul). A very active part of the conference was dedicated to the Pilot actions. It was a session conducted both indoor and outdoor. Partner organizations guided participants to actively experience the context, characteristics and practical actions as delivered in the three pilot countries: Türkiye, The Netherlands and Italy. At institutional level there were contributions from: - Elisa Dalle Pezze (President of Local District 2) - Rita Andriani (President of Local District 6) - Councillor Anna Maria Molino (Mayor’s Municipality of Verona delegate and referent for the European Healthy Cities Network) - Dr. Roberto Benoni (Head of the Health Promotion Department at ULSS9 Scaligera). All speakers contributed to the discussion from the perspective of a public structure playing a determinant role at local and national HEPA strategies. For all this, the conference represented an extraordinary opportunity to increase the advocacy action for the promotion of Health Enhancing Physical Activity and support one of the most important inputs of the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity of the WHO and European HEPA policies: to obtain more effective results developing multi-sectoral and transversal action is needed. ### Key take-aways - Every movement counts. - Every stakeholder matters. - Every policy choice helps to create normal, inclusive and sustainable active moments. [D4.2 Policy RecommendationsMake active living the easy, normal and inclusive choice - every day, for everyone.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthHans Derks![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/10/d4.2-policy-recommendations.png)](https://activeforhealth.eu/white-paper-policy-recommendations/) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/ehla-word-cloud.jpeg) ### Welcome and Opening Address [Keynote - Massimo GasparettiMaking movement a natural part of growing up.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthAdrian Geissel![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA-Key-Note---Massimo-Gasparetto.png)](https://activeforhealth.eu/key-note-massimo-gasparetti/) [Keynote - Anna Maria MolinaMaking movement a natural part of growing up.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthAdrian Geissel![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA-Key-Note---Anna-Maria-Molino.png)](https://activeforhealth.eu/key-note-anna-maria-molina/) [Keynote - Roberto BenoniMaking movement a natural part of growing up.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthAdrian Geissel![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA-Key-Note---Roberto-Benoni.png)](https://activeforhealth.eu/key-note-roberto-benoni/) ### EHLA Active Day in practice [EHLA Active Day in PracticeWhat should an Active Day give a child? Christel de Jong (SportDrenthe) presents the project actions, results and impacts.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthChristel de Jong![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/20261028_092555719_iOS-1.jpeg)](https://activeforhealth.eu/ehla-active-day-in-practice/) ### Roundtable Discussion [Round table discussionMelvin Franken (Kinetic Analysis) and Raffaella Chiodo Karpinsky (UISP) moderate a discussion on Community Centres and Open Spaces for Physical and Social Wellbeing.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthMelvin Franken![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/20261028_110912503_iOS.jpeg)](https://activeforhealth.eu/round-table-discussion/) ### Policy Recommendations and Closing Remarks [Final PresentationAdrian Geissel, EHLA Project Coordinator, delivers the concluding address to the conference containing the policy recommendations arising from the project.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Active for HealthAdrian Geissel![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA-Final-Presentation.png)](https://activeforhealth.eu/final-presentation/) ### Photo Gallery ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/IMG_8023.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/IMG_8022.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/IMG_5885.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/IMG_8028.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/IMG_8046.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/ehla---piazze-1.jpg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/ehla---4.jpg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/ehla---1.png) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/Screenshot-2026-11-11-at-11.13.15.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/20261028_094752858_iOS.jpeg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA---in-Movimento---8.jpg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA---in-Movimento---7.jpg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/EHLA---in-Movimento---9.jpg) ![](https://assets.surpassport.com/gh-activeforhealth-eu/2026/11/ehla---2.jpg) ### We're not finished yet! 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