Estonia's Be Active Year encourages thousands to explore new physical activities

TALLINN - During the Be Active Year in 2023, over 10,000 people in Estonia participated in open training sessions, workshops, and events, with participation in the sports week exceeding 200,000.

In addition to the main program of the Be Active Year's themed months, thousands of organizations and individuals initiated events dedicated to the theme year. The Competence Center for Physical Activity will continue its efforts in the coming years to increase the physical activity of Estonians.

"During the Be Active Year, our aim was to generate more interest in physical activities and healthier lifestyles and to demonstrate that Estonia has excellent infrastructure for regular physical activity that is accessible and manageable for everyone," Janne Tomberg, project manager for the Be Active Year, said.

"We are very satisfied with the results -- every month, 500 to 1,000 people participated in the theme year's trainings and workshops. The Be Active Year's message has been widely embraced and was used in many different organizations' initiatives -- this year we saw community initiatives in small villages, exercise events in counties, and large-scale sports and physical activity events, all with the goal of encouraging people of all ages to move, engage in sports, and enjoy these activities," she added.

A key objective of the Be Active Year was to cooperate with various sports federations and event organizers during the themed months, involving sports clubs, coaches and instructors to introduce their sport as a form of physical activity and leisure. Throughout the year, people had the opportunity to learn skiing, disc golf, running and Nordic walking techniques, use outdoor gyms and pump tracks, try mountain biking, roller skating, dancing, outdoor table tennis, orienteering, hiking, various racket sports, and participate in family exercise events.

With the conclusion of the Be Active Year, the Competence Center for Physical Activity continues its work in national development and coordination in the field of physical activity.

The Ministry of Culture declared 2023 the Be Active Year to focus on the positive effects of physical activity on health, encourage Estonians to exercise more and regularly, and increase the number of people participating in physical activity.