Dear Guests,
After 2014 and 2016, the Hungarian School Sport Federation organises HIPE international conference for the third time in a row. This year’s main topic is quality physical activity which is year after year becoming increasingly relevant not only to us who have been working in this field for a long time, but also to the general public. Digitisation has reached this field, there are numerous innovative solutions, technological developments, game- and experience-oriented methods to choose from, but, for instance, even the negative experience connected to school PE and PE teachers can receive unprecedented public interest as it happened in a recent online discourse that ran across Hungary.
Therefore, we deem it necessary to share knowledge and to consult on health-enhancing physical activity and quality PE not only on professional or policy level, but also on the level of the PE teachers and the parents. We are facing day to day the health problems and negative consequences that inactivity and sedentary lifestyle can cause. At the worst, we find it out the hard way; at best, we content ourselves with relevant statistics such as the newest Eurobarometer survey which found out that 46% of all EU citizens, whereas 53% of all Hungarian citizens never play sports or do any physical exercise. Establishing health-conscious, physically active lifestyle competences based on future-oriented thinking, and the development of the associated knowledge, skills, and attitudes, are extremely important in the case of children, since at their age there still is possibility to set the basis for healthy and physically active lifestyle habits and a good fitness level, which would be crucial for their future health.
I am convinced that the great majority of experts who are working in the field of PE and physical activity are capable to rise up to this responsibility, and hope that the presentations, talks, and raised propositions of the conference will inspire and motivate you to fulfil this ambitious task effectively with belief in the schools or other communities.
Gábor Balogh
president
Hungarian School Sport Federation