In the run-up to the 2024 Gymnastics Festival, a comprehensive, free training program was developed for volunteers and active participants. Originally designed primarily for gymnastics, the program was quickly expanded to include all sports and sports clubs nationwide due to the high level of interest.

The implementation was structured around clear core areas:

The Program: At its heart were 14 online workshops and 12 advisory Q&A sessions (April through November 2024). The practical culmination was a major conference in Leipzig featuring presentations, discussion panels, and activities such as wheelchair basketball and upcycling.

Thematic Breadth: In terms of content, the series covered a broad spectrum—from strategic club development, funding, and sustainable events to the circular economy, inclusion, and “Safe Sport.”

Success factor: recognition. Through close coordination with the state sports federations, participants were able to have official learning units credited toward their licenses. This created a huge incentive and underscored the relevance of the topic on the part of the federations.

The Network as a Key Success Factor: The depth of the content was only possible thanks to strong partnerships. With the support of the “Sport handelt Fair” network, the project team drew on the expertise of numerous universities, specialized initiatives, and NGOs. A wide-reaching information campaign, which deliberately utilized channels outside the sports sector, also ensured broad outreach.

Sustainability in Action: The project team consistently put the theoretical content from the conference into practice. This included accessible offerings (captions, an inclusive hotel), the elimination of paper materials, and a strictly vegan and locally sourced catering service.

All materials created and workshop recordings remain permanently and freely accessible as a knowledge base.

Sports clubs play a central role in society and serve as powerful role models. Many clubs want to actively contribute to addressing the climate crisis and driving sustainable transformation, but volunteer-run organizations often lack specific knowledge and concrete support. To bridge this very gap, the organizing team of the 2025 Gymnastics Festival in Leipzig has developed a tailored training program.

The goal was to equip clubs with the necessary tools to strategically integrate climate and environmental protection as well as social responsibility into their daily sports activities.