The Youth Sports Games, the largest amateur sports event in Europe, were officially opened in Požarevac on May 16. Hundreds of girls and boys gathered in the town’s main square, where the ceremonial lighting of the torch marked the beginning of this year’s Games. The event was officially opened by Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports in the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
For yet another year, Millennium Team is proud to support the Games, recognizing their immense importance for children and promoting essential values – healthy development, engagement in sports and the nurturing of sportsmanship and fair play. This initiative is part of the company’s broader commitment to supporting sports through partnerships with clubs, associations and federations.
– Sport is much more than a game. It is a school of life where children learn respect, discipline, teamwork and perseverance. We know how important it is for every child to have the opportunity to play sports. That’s why the Plazma Youth Sports Games offer completely free participation – because we believe that the right to play and to grow up healthy should be available to everyone – said Zdravko Marić, founder and president of the Youth Sports Games, during the opening ceremony.
The traveling caravan of sports, friendship and fair play has been touring Serbia and the region for years, with competitions also held in Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the beginning, more than three million children have participated in the Games. Children aged 6 to 18 compete in ten sports disciplines, with Millennium Team 3×3 basketball tournament drawing significant popularity and interest. Courts across Serbia are hosting matches as teams compete for a place in the grand finals.
Regional and national competitions continue across Serbia, culminating in the traditional final event that brings together top teams from across the region in Split.
– This year, children have once more reminded us of what genuine sports spirit is all about. They compete with smiles, cheer each other on and form friendships that last a lifetime. That’s the heart of the Plazma Youth Sports Games – not just medals, but the values that children carry with them from every city we visit – said Marija Mihajlović, President of the Plazma Youth Sports Games of Serbia.
The competitions are open to all children, regardless of whether they play sports professionally or are complete beginners. Over the course of several months, they participate in tournaments across ten disciplines, including the 60-meter sprint, dodgeball, 3×3 basketball, mini football, volleyball, table tennis and chess.
Photo: The Youth Sports Games
