The kick-off meeting of the ParaSwInclusion project held on the 8th of April, gathered all project partners in Sarajevo to officially launch the implementation of the Erasmus+ initiative, aimed at promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in sports, with a focus on para swimming. The meeting was hosted by the Paralympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the project’s coordinating institution at the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Participants were welcomed by Mr. Osman Handžić, who emphasized the need for the structured development of para swimming in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, including coach and referee training.
The presentation of the project was delivered by dr. Adna Ašić from Verlab Institute, who provided a detailed overview of the project concept, specific objectives, and structure. She explained the division of tasks among work packages and presented the timeline of planned activities. The partners agreed to organize and plan the events in six-month cycles to ensure timely implementation and submission of deliverables. An introductory video was shown to illustrate the vision of the project, featuring representatives from the Paralympic Committee of B&H, Swimming Club SPID, and the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Sarajevo.
The video is now available at the project website. Azra Ademović from IBS Ltd. then shared her ideas on enhancing the project’s outreach through broader dissemination strategies and public engagement.
Each partner institution proceeded to introduce its mission, activities, and contribution to the project. These included the Paralympic Committee of B&H, Verlab Research Institute, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of the University of Sarajevo, Swimming Club SPID, the Croatian Para Swimming Association, the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education of the University of Niš, PKOSI MAKO from Montenegro, and BRAVO. This session enabled partners to gain a clearer understanding of each other’s roles and areas of expertise.
A round table event in Montenegro was announced for August 2025. Partnership Agreements were initiated, and plans for financial transfers, quality assurance, risk management, and sustainability were provisionally adopted, pending review.
The meeting concluded in a positive and collaborative atmosphere, marking a successful beginning of the ParaSwInclusion project and laying a strong foundation for the upcoming implementation phase.