Inclusive Play: Sports as a Pathway to Equality

Inclusive Sport positions physical activity and fencing in particular, not merely as a recreational pursuit, but as a structured pathway to inclusion, well-being and personal development.

Fencing simultaneously develops physical fitness, coordination and endurance, alongside cognitive skills such as strategic thinking, decision-making and sustained concentration. Beyond individual performance, the sport fosters emotional resilience, self-confidence and a sense of community among those who practise it. These qualities make it an especially valuable tool in educational and social inclusion contexts.

The project brings together partners from Romania, Slovenia and Italy, three countries where fencing remains under promoted - due to limited infrastructure, scarce school programmes and financial barriers - with the shared objective of developing adapted methodologies and training resources that make the sport genuinely accessible to children with disabilities.

Specific Objectives:

• The development of a comprehensive adapted fencing methodology will guide the training of 10 coaches and physical education teachers in inclusive techniques
• The organisation of practical sessions for a minimum of 20 children with disabilities
• The production of 6 educational video lessons for coaches, educators and athletes
• The facilitation of international knowledge exchange through three transnational project meetings.

The target group:

The direct beneficiaries of the project are fencing coaches, sports educators and children with disabilities. Its impact, however, extends to a broader ecosystem of indirect stakeholders: families, schools, sports footprints and the wider public who stand to gain from a more inclusive and accessible sporting culture.