On 23 September, the European Week of Sport 2024 launched with an opening ceremony in Budapest, Hungary, followed by the International Conference of Sport Leaders on the Legacy and Future of Major Sporting Events. After Hungary’s Secretary of State for Sport welcomed the participants, Georg Häusler from the European Commission, acknowledged the need for greater action on physical inactivity, especially among children. Juan Antonio Samaranch, Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee delivered a keynote reflecting on the Paris 2024 Games, which achieved gender equality and a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to London 2012. He urged governments to view sport and physical activity as investments in public health rather than expenses. Other discussions provided an overview of Hungary’s recent activities such as the Olympic Values Education Programme in Hungarian schools, alongside a presentation on the Paris 2024 Games’ experience and legacy.  

The afternoon session included an introduction to the Major Event Anti-Doping Legacy (MEAL) programme delivered by Witold Banka, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, and insights from the head of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee on the Paralympic movement’s progress. The event closed with a panel discussion on athlete representation in international sport organisations with Emma Terho, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.