Off the wire
• 1st LD Writethru: Man with knife shot dead outside police station in Paris: report  • 1st LD: China's forex reserves post biggest monthly drop on record  • Iran says Saudi air strike hits its embassy in Yemen  • S.Korea, Japan to cooperate for strong, effective UN resolutions over DPRK nuke test  • Majority of Britons want to leave EU: opinion poll  • Iceland sees increase of foreign visitor overnight stays in Nov. 2015  • Cote d'Ivoire PM reappointed, to name gov't next week  • Roundup: Panicked investors keep Pakistan's KSE bearish for 4th day  • Indonesia conveys concern over Iran, Saudi Arabia ties  • 1st LD: Egyptian police arrest gunman for firing at tourist hotel  
You are here: 　 Home

Slovak city Kosice welcomes title of European City of Sport 2016

Xinhua, January 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kosice, the biggest city in eastern Slovakia, welcomed its new title of European City of Sport 2016 with an opening ceremony held on its Main Street on Wednesday night.

The ceremony featured a program with a fire-based show and music bands that attracted hundreds of people to the city center despite the freezing weather.

Kosice has been the first Slovak city to be awarded the title by the European Capitals of Sport Association (ACES Europe).

"The 'Metropolis of the East' [Kosice] was already a city of sport, but by receiving the prestigious title European City of Sport 2016 it wants to show Europe the year-round sports that the people of Kosice engage in, to attract as many children, young families and senior citizens as possible to take part in sport and to pursue a healthy lifestyle," announced Kosice mayor Richard Rasi.

According to Rasi, the main ambition is to get the people of Kosice of all ages moving and to provide them with effective support for a healthy lifestyle. The city wants to develop traditional and new sporting events and to invest in sports facilities.

"Kosice is a real example of how to motivate people to become involved in physical activity, and that is what we're after in Europe, because sport means health, a good feeling, integration. It's very important to engage in sport every day or at least once or twice a week," added ACES Europe general secretary Hugo Alonso in a speech.

Representatives of the European Commission and the Slovak Olympic Committee also congratulated Kosice on assuming the title. Endit