2026 BeActive Sport Awards for Peace and Unity

The #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace 2026 recognize organizations that use sport and physical activity to promote peace, inclusion, dialogue, and social cohesion across Europe. The award celebrates innovative initiatives that strengthen communities, foster mutual understanding, and overcome social barriers through sport, with a €25,000 prize awarded to the selected initiative.

#BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace 2026

The #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace 2026 recognize and celebrate outstanding organizations and stakeholders that use sport as a powerful tool to promote peace, inclusion, social cohesion, and community engagement across Europe.

The Peace category highlights initiatives that successfully bring together diverse communities through sport and physical activity while encouraging dialogue, tolerance, mutual respect, and cooperation. The award forms part of the European Union’s broader efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, active participation, and stronger communities through sport.

Overview

The #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace honor organizations that demonstrate how sport can address social challenges and create positive change.

The award recognizes projects that:

• Promote peace through sport and physical activity.
• Encourage inclusion and equal participation.
• Build stronger and more connected communities.
• Support intercultural and inter-generational dialogue.
• Foster volunteering and civic engagement.
• Reduce barriers to participation for disadvantaged groups.
• Strengthen cooperation among diverse communities.

The initiative supports projects that showcase sport as a driver of social development, conflict prevention, and peaceful coexistence.

Purpose of the Awards

The programme aims to:

• Recognize outstanding peace-building initiatives through sport.
• Promote health, inclusion, and active lifestyles.
• Encourage community engagement and volunteering.
• Strengthen social cohesion across Europe.
• Foster dialogue between people from different backgrounds.
• Support equal opportunities in sport participation.
• Increase awareness of sport as a tool for peace and development.
• Share successful models that inspire other organizations.

Focus Areas

The Peace category supports initiatives that promote:

• Peacebuilding through sport
• Social inclusion
• Community engagement
• Health and physical activity
• Inter-generational dialogue
• Volunteering
• Diversity and equality
• Integration of disadvantaged communities
• Participation of people with fewer opportunities
• Local and international cooperation
• Social innovation through sport
• Mutual understanding and tolerance
• Community resilience

Funding Information

Successful applicants receive:

• Award prize of €25,000
• European-level recognition
• Increased visibility for their initiative
• Opportunities to showcase best practices
• Recognition as a leading example of sport for peace

Award Benefits

Winning the #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace provides several advantages, including:

• €25,000 financial award
• Recognition by the European Union
• Increased international visibility
• Enhanced credibility for future partnerships
• Promotion of successful peace-building initiatives
• Opportunities to inspire similar projects across Europe
• Stronger networking within the European sport community

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include legal entities established in eligible countries.

Applicants may include:

• Private organizations
• Public organizations
• International organizations
• Sports organizations
• Non-profit organizations
• Community organizations
• Educational institutions
• Local authorities
• Public agencies
• Other legally established entities

Eligible organizations must be established in:

• EU Member States
• Overseas Countries and Territories
• Non-EU countries associated with the Erasmus+ Programme
• Countries currently negotiating association with Erasmus+

Eligible Initiatives

Projects should demonstrate measurable success in using sport to promote peace and social inclusion.

Examples include initiatives that:

• Bring together diverse communities through sport.
• Promote intercultural dialogue.
• Encourage participation by disadvantaged groups.
• Reduce discrimination and exclusion.
• Support volunteering in sport.
• Build trust between different communities.
• Encourage youth engagement.
• Strengthen local community cooperation.
• Promote equality and inclusion through physical activity.
• Address social challenges using sport-based approaches.

How the Award Process Works (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure your organization is a legal entity established in an eligible country.

Step 2: Review Award Objectives

Confirm that your project promotes peace, inclusion, dialogue, and community engagement through sport.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application

Collect documentation describing:

• Project objectives
• Activities implemented
• Target beneficiaries
• Measurable outcomes
• Community impact
• Innovation
• Evidence of success

Step 4: Submit the Application

Complete the application according to the programme requirements before the submission deadline.

Step 5: Evaluation

Applications are assessed based on:

• Relevance to peace through sport
• Innovation
• Community impact
• Inclusion
• Sustainability
• Quality of implementation

Step 6: Award Selection

Outstanding initiatives are selected and recognized under the Peace category of the #BeActive EU Sport Awards.

Why It Matters

Sport has the ability to unite people regardless of culture, language, age, or background.

The #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace help:

• Promote peaceful coexistence.
• Strengthen inclusive communities.
• Encourage active citizenship.
• Build trust across diverse populations.
• Support social integration.
• Inspire innovative community projects.
• Highlight the role of sport in sustainable social development.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying without demonstrating measurable community impact.
• Failing to explain how sport contributes to peace.
• Providing insufficient evidence of project outcomes.
• Ignoring inclusion and diversity objectives.
• Submitting incomplete application materials.
• Focusing only on sporting achievements instead of social impact.
• Missing required eligibility criteria.

Tips for a Strong Application

• Clearly explain how your initiative promotes peace.
• Demonstrate measurable community benefits.
• Include evidence of participant engagement.
• Highlight partnerships and collaboration.
• Show long-term sustainability.
• Provide data, testimonials, or success stories.
• Emphasize innovation and inclusion.
• Align your application with the award objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace?

It is a European Union award recognizing organizations that use sport and physical activity to promote peace, inclusion, dialogue, and community cohesion.

2. What is the award prize?

Successful applicants receive €25,000.

3. Who can apply?

Legal entities such as public bodies, private organizations, international organizations, sports organizations, and other eligible entities established in eligible countries.

4. What types of projects are eligible?

Projects that successfully use sport to promote peace, inclusion, intercultural dialogue, volunteering, and social cohesion.

5. Which countries are eligible?

Eligible applicants must be established in EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories, Erasmus+ associated countries, or countries currently negotiating association with the programme.

6. What qualities do evaluators look for?

Applications are assessed based on innovation, impact, inclusion, sustainability, community engagement, and contribution to peace through sport.

7. Why are these awards important?

The awards recognize outstanding initiatives that demonstrate how sport can create more peaceful, inclusive, and connected communities while inspiring similar projects across Europe.

Conclusion

The #BeActive EU Sport Awards – Peace 2026 celebrate organizations that harness the power of sport to build stronger, more inclusive, and peaceful communities. By recognizing innovative initiatives that promote dialogue, equality, volunteering, and social cohesion, the awards encourage the wider adoption of sport as a catalyst for positive social change while providing European recognition and a €25,000 award to outstanding projects.