Dear Guests,
After 2014, 2016 and 2018 the Hungarian School Sport Federation organizes HIPE international conference for the fourth time in a row, focusing once again on quality Physical Education and regular, health-enhancing physical activity, but this time on a special occasion.
As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, we will face new social challenges not only in Hungary and Europe, but also worldwide. It is obvious that the pandemic has been, and still is, a serious spiritual, psychological burden for all of us, including teachers and children. How do we reorganize our lives? How do we jump start the organization of education again? How do we motivate our children to learn, how can we make the most of this situation? – we may ask these questions. We might not know the know-hows yet, but there is one thing we can declare: dealing with the effects of the epidemic in the upcoming academic years will surely be a fundamental pedagogical task and methodological challenge for every school.
We have long known that regular physical activity is one if not the most decisive tool regarding our mental health. Physical activity is an excellent way to manage and relieve stress, thus supporting free, autonomous exercise and in Hungary, filling up daily Physical Education with adequate content will be vital in the near future.
If ever, now and in the years to come, it is certainly time to talk about quality Physical Education: to share our experiences, our answers to unprecedented challenges, and share our solutions. I run the risk to state that the last few months and from now on, working together in all areas of life, for children and adults alike, will be an experience that will affect our lives and serve as a model for our coping strategies.
I am convinced that today, in 2020, every practitioner in the field of Physical Education and physical activity feels the responsibility and opportunity of our work. I look forward to inspiring and motivating all the participants with the lectures, talks, issues and good practices presented during the showcase day and throughout the conference, which will be organized together with CEREPS, the European Council of Research in Physical Education and Physical Activity for the first time in the life of the conference.
As the President of HSSF, I believe that daily physical activity and quality Physical Education are vital key factors to encounter happy, balanced and fit children in schools, and also to help them become successful adults.
Gábor Balogh
president
Hungarian School Sport Federation