On Europe Day, celebrated today, 9 May, European Aquatics proudly joins the “Sport Celebrates Europe Day” initiative, reaffirming its commitment to promoting European values, unity and cooperation through sport.
As part of the initiative developed in collaboration with the European Commission, European Aquatics and its Member Federations across Europe are taking part in a series of activities designed to highlight the role of sport in bringing communities and nations together.
The initiative involves the participation of European Aquatics’ 27 Member Federations from European Union countries, alongside federations from EU candidate states including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine.
Across the weekend of 9–10 May, water polo matches and aquatic events organised under the auspices of European Aquatics and its Member Federations will feature special activations celebrating Europe Day. Planned activities include the display of European Union flags, the playing of the EU anthem before competitions, and the integration of European symbols across venues, scoreboards and event branding.
Clubs, athletes, referees and volunteers are also being encouraged to actively participate in the celebrations by wearing or carrying EU symbols and promoting messages linked to European unity and shared values.
As part of the celebrations, European Aquatics has also launched the “Pass the Wave” social media campaign, inviting athletes from different federations to share personal stories highlighting European inclusion, friendship and cooperation through sport.
For the campaign, each federation selected an athlete to record a short video sharing a positive message about another European country, athlete or coach. These stories focus on experiences such as competing abroad, attending training camps, building friendships across borders and learning from fellow athletes throughout Europe.
The campaign aims to showcase how aquatics connects people across cultures and nations, reinforcing the message that Europe is “United by Water.” Rather than a nomination-based concept, “Pass the Wave” focuses on authentic stories that celebrate solidarity, exchange and the unique connections built through sport.
European Aquatics President António José Silva emphasized the importance of sport as a platform for strengthening connections across Europe and promoting common values through collective participation and visibility initiatives.
In addition to activities taking place during sporting events, European Aquatics and the European Commission are also collaborating on wider initiatives connected to Europe Day, including communication campaigns and educational discussions on the European sports model and its impact on global development.
Through this initiative, European Aquatics continues to reinforce the role of aquatics as a driver of inclusion, cooperation and positive social impact across Europe.
