The Association Sport for All Serbia successfully organized the program of the 33rd Open Ski Festival Sport for All on Kopaonik from March 18 to 22, 2026. Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Sport of the Republic of Serbia and the Sport Association of Serbia, the event is a key fixture in the 2026 BAWS (Balkan Association for Workers’ Sport) calendar.
This year’s international festival gathered nearly 400 participants from Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia.
At the opening ceremony held in the Garden Restaurant of the Grand Hotel, the President of the Association, Mr. Branko Vujović, thanked the Ministry of Sport for its continuous support, emphasizing that this festival is a symbol of unity across all generations. He noted that while the festival features a specific theme each year, this edition focused on regional networking, with the BAWS session serving as the central event.
The event was further honored by the presence of Mr. Bruno Molea, President of the International Workers and Amateurs in Sports Confederation (CSIT). He expressed great pride in the growth of the “Sport for All” movement in this part of Europe and voiced his confidence that this festival will become a vital stepping stone toward future CSIT Winter Games.
During the festival, a session of the BAWS Board was held. In addition to permanent members (Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia), three new organizations were officially granted full membership: Health Life Academy (Pula, Croatia), Association Sport for All in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sports Union of Slovenija.
The 2026 Activity Calendar was adopted, outlining new sporting encounters across the Balkans. The next Elective General Assembly was scheduled to take place in Albena, Bulgaria, during the 22nd International Sports Festival.
The competitive segment began with a symbolic gesture as the celebrated Serbian skier and President of the Ski Association of Serbia, Nevena Ignjatović, served as the forerunner in the giant slalom race. Participants competed in alpine disciplines (giant slalom and slalom) on the Karaman Greben slope. Meanwhile, the “Valley of Sports” buzzed with energy during competitions in snow volleyball, arm wrestling, and tug-of-war.
Participants also competed in darts, while the afternoons were reserved for recreational activities, including snowshoeing tours. Beyond the competitions, a free ski school was organized, successfully training 42 new skiers this year.
The scientific and educational aspect was highlighted by the 13th International Scientific Conference “Anthropological and Theo-anthropological Views on Physical Activity” organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (University of Priština, Leposavić) and partner faculties from Belgrade, Niš, Banja Luka, and East Sarajevo.
A bilateral meeting was also held with CSIT President Bruno Molea regarding the upcoming CSIT Qualification Tournament in 3×3 Basketball and Pétanque. These events will be part of the 35th International Summer Festival Sport for All, scheduled for September 23–27, 2026, in Budva, Montenegro.
At the closing ceremony, President Branko Vujović and General Secretary Filip Vešović presented letters of appreciation to the organizations and companies that contributed to the event.
The Fair Play Cup for 2025 was awarded to the Gradina system d.o.o., Temerin as permanent ownership, and this year’s Fair Play Cup was presented to the Keprom d.o.o., Belgrade, which showed a high level of solidarity by participating in all program contents.
The PPC Romania team won the cup for the overall winner, which was presented by the president of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, Mr. Đula Mešter.
The festival was officially closed by the Sports Director of the festival, Prof. Dr. Dejan Suzović, who thanked all participants, the expert team, and the partners responsible for the high-quality execution of the program.