ISLANDS project: sport, islands and nature on the same team

We are excited to officially launch “ISLANDS: inclusive sports 4 locals and nature development strategies”, a new Erasmus+ Sport project that brings together three sports associations from Sardinia, Ibiza and São Miguel in the Azores.This collaboration was created to respond to two shared realities: in many European islands and remote areas, people have fewer opportunities to practice sport, and at the same time these territories are heavily affected by environmental and social challenges. ISLANDS starts from a simple idea: sport can become a powerful tool to strengthen communities, protect nature and create more inclusive opportunities for everyone.

what is islands about?

At its core, the project aims to promote sports participation and active citizenship in places where distance, isolation and lack of infrastructure often limit access. Strengthening the role of local sports associations is central to this vision. Through a mix of non-formal education, training sessions for coaches, and learning-by-doing sports activities, ISLANDS will help sports operators from the three islands become real agents of change in their communities.

The project also places strong emphasis on environmental and social awareness. Coaches and participants will explore the specific challenges that islands face—such as climate vulnerability, limited resources, tourism pressure and social isolation—and learn how sport can inspire new solutions, new habits and new forms of participation.

a partnership rooted in three islands

The ISLANDS consortium is made of three organisations that work daily in their communities:

ADELANTE in Sardinia,

Asociación Balear de Taekwon-Do in Ibiza and

CATTT in São Miguel.

Although each island has its own culture, landscape and rhythm, all three share a deep connection with nature and a strong belief in the role of sport as a space for growth, inclusion and community life. Their collaboration creates a unique “three-island alliance”, capable of linking Mediterranean and Atlantic perspectives in a single shared journey.

presenting the islands logo

To mark the beginning of this journey, we are proud to present the official ISLANDS logo.

what comes next

In the coming months, ISLANDS will move from design to action. Coaches and youth workers will meet for the first training session, each island will host local sports activities linked to environmental themes, and the partnership will start producing the project’s main outputs, including a document on island challenges, a toolkit on sport and inclusion, and an advocacy video on the social impact of sports associations.

This launch marks the start of a beautiful and ambitious journey.In the next article, we will introduce ADELANTE, the coordinating organisation based in Sardinia, and explore its role in shaping the ISLANDS vision.