On April 24, 2025, more than 500 young people from 16 Rural Family Homes (MFRs) in the Centre-Val de Loire region gathered in Meung-sur-Loire for an intense and inspiring day. Far from being a simple sporting event, this regional meeting allowed a generation of young people from rural areas to reconnect with their well-being, reflect on their relationships with others and their place in the world , through the lens of sport. In a global context often marked by division, this day sowed seeds of unity, openness, and collective action.
Sport as a field of expression and reflection
On the field, 35 sporting challenges punctuated the day: Olympic and Paralympic events, team sports, games of skill or coordination… All were designed to allow young people to engage physically , but also to experience concrete solidarity, inclusion and self-improvement.
Alongside these physical challenges, five civic workshops explored fundamental topics such as gender, addiction, self-image, living together, and the role of sport in building peace . Led by two volunteers from Europe Direct , these reflective sessions offered a rare space for open, supportive, and sometimes challenging exchange, where young people spoke with candor, humor, occasional anger, and often hope.
The result? A lively, abundant, authentic speech, which does not seek to please, but to speak. To speak of doubt (“sport does not create equality”), to speak of intuition (“sport soothes tensions”), to speak of vision (“sport is a way to let off steam without violence”), and above all to speak of desire: that of a fairer world.
A European commitment born on a sports field
Beyond the day itself, this regional mobilization fostered a much broader ambition: to contribute to the final recommendation of the European advocacy platform for rural youth for a world at peace . Of the nine European recommendations, three emerged directly from the Meung-sur-Loire event. Three strong convictions, formulated by the young people themselves, serve as guiding principles for the future:
- Promote sports, creative and outdoor activities as levers for physical and mental well-being : Because we think better when we breathe better. Because mental health also comes through movement.
- Using team sport as a tool for diversity, mediation and understanding of social rules : Because playing together is already learning to live together. And on a field, the rules apply to everyone.
- Promoting sport as a universal language in the service of peace and international inclusion : Regardless of language, culture, or origin, sport speaks to everyone. It's a space where we can compete without destroying each other.
A symbolic guest: Masomah Ali Zada
The intervention of Masomah Ali Zada , an Afghan cyclist and refugee in France, was a highlight of the day. A member of the Refugee Olympic Team, she powerfully embodies the emancipatory power of sport. Her poignant testimony reminded everyone that sport can be a space of freedom, existence, and resistance , especially for those whose rights are denied. Speaking to the young people, she addressed frankly the challenges of exile, but also the strength of the sporting community in rebuilding one's life.
From words to action: heading for the European Parliament
The day concluded with a symbolic awards ceremony, recognizing the young people who had particularly distinguished themselves through their involvement, teamwork, or insightful thinking. Their reward? A place at the National Rural Youth Festival at the European Parliament . Well-deserved recognition and a powerful symbol: rural youth have a voice in European decision-making, and they are proving it.
