Kick-Off Meeting sets the foundation for inclusive sport across Europe

On 30 January 2025, the QIS – All In project was officially launched with a Kick-Off Meeting held at the Youth Centre of the National Institute for Sports and Youth (IPDJ) in Lisbon. The event marked the first in-person gathering of the project consortium and set a strong foundation for collaboration, shared goals and meaningful progress.

The meeting was hosted by the Portuguese Paralympic Committee, the project coordinator, and gathered partners from across Europe working in sport, accessibility, education, architecture, communication and governance — including HAŠK Mladost.

A Clear Start with a Strong Vision

The meeting opened with remarks from Sandro Araújo, Vice-President of the Portuguese Paralympic Committee, who set the tone for the day:

“We are proud to coordinate such a high-quality international team on a pioneering project to improve accessibility in sport. We hope QIS – All In will become a milestone in transforming not only infrastructure, but also the mindsets of athletes, staff, and institutions.”

His words made it clear: QIS – All In is not only about space — it’s about culture.

Project Goals and Shared Direction

The Portuguese Paralympic Committee outlined the main objectives of the project, with all partners aligned around key priorities:

• to build a practical and scalable model for evaluating accessibility in sport
• to analyse existing standards and best practices across Europe
• to create a Guide of Good Practices and concrete tools for facilities
• to clarify that QIS is not an ISO standard, but a flexible and realistic certification framework

Partners reviewed timelines, roles and responsibilities — laying the groundwork for effective cooperation.

Dialogue at the Heart of the Project

Beyond presentations, the Kick-Off Meeting created space for true dialogue. Partners from different sectors — from Paralympic sport and public institutions to architecture and digital tools — shared their experiences and expectations.

This cross-sector collaboration is a central strength of QIS – All In — ensuring that the tools developed are practical, inclusive and grounded in real-world needs.

Early Recognition at European Level

The project has already received positive attention:
QIS – All In will be presented at the European Paralympic Committee (EPC) Conference in August 2025 — a clear sign that the project is relevant and welcomed within the European sport and inclusion landscape.

What’s Next?

Lisbon laid the groundwork. Now the real work begins to create accessible, welcoming and barrier-free sport environments across Europe.

Because quality sport starts when access is no longer an obstacle.