Train4Family

More than 500 children participated in the first athletics competition of the season, held at the Asics Arena on the 24th of November. The sixth edition of the *Darko Team Baby Cup* brought together young athletes aged 4 to 13 in an innovative format with exercises from the "Kids Athletics" program and 50 and 60 meter sprints. All finishers received designer medals and a general warm-up before the races that reduced stress and created a pleasant atmosphere for participants, coaches and parents. The mascot, Darko Jr. the Wasp, supported the children and added to the spirit of the event.

The international meeting for the #Train4Family project took place on October 11-12, 2024, in Palermo, Italy, gathering representatives from several countries to discuss key topics and project progress. The meeting was attended by Joanna Dochevska and Stefka Dzhobova – representatives of Bulgarian sports development association, partner in the initiative from Bulgaria. The first day featured presentations of the Multinational Report and eLearning platform, which provide educational resources for families of children with disabilities and sports specialists.

From 23 to 30 September 2024, the European Week of Sport, an initiative of the European Commission under the motto #BeActive, inspires thousands of people across Europe to get involved in sport and physical activity. The event aims to raise awareness about the importance of an active lifestyle and encourage citizens to move more.

On May 16, 2024, the "New Stars" athletics tournament was held at the "Vasil Levski" National Sports Academy. The tournament was organized at an extremely high level by the KLASA sports club and the director of the tournament – Assoc. prof. Plamen Nyagin. The 46th edition of the international tournament included in its program a 100 and 200-meter inclusive start, as well as shot put, in which 53 athletes with intellectual disabilities took part.

The #Train4Family International project meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, on 3rd and 4th April 2024, was a landmark event, significantly advancing the project's objectives. Initiated by host's welcoming speech, the gathering quickly moved into productive presentations and discussions by Partner Associations, highlighting collaborative achievements and future strategies. Key discussions centered on the project management plan, state of the art, dissemination plans, and the development of an e-learning platform, which were interspersed with networking breaks that enriched participant connections.

On November 16, 2023, the first meeting of the consortium, which will implement the #Train4Family initiative, gathered representatives from partner organizations in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, Slovenia, and Spain. The partners discussed the project's activities, the project timeline, as well as the initial steps to kick off the work on #Train4Family.

Families play an important role in society, both in human sustenance and individual development. Sport has tremendous potential for bringing parents and children together in a healthy and playful environment. Children with disabilities often lead a passive lifestyle due to a lack of adapted sports content and unhealthy nutrition which has negative consequences on their health. Families of children with disabilities are usually not properly instructed in the methods of conducting sports or nutrition by which they could contribute to improving the lives of their children.