On 9 February 2011 the state secretary responsible for sports of the Ministry of National Resources informed civil organizations of the sports policy efforts of the Hungarian Presidency.

The state secretariat of the Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a reconciliatory forum in relation to the informal meeting of the ministers responsible for sports to be held on 22-23 February 2011. During the forum civil organizations had the opportunity of learning details about the efforts of the Presidency and of making related recommendations.

During the event citizens interested were given information on the main topics of the Presidency – Lisbon Treaty and Sports, opportunities offered by a future EU Sports Program, European Year of Volunteering – while they could make related recommendations and remarks.

The responsible chief of sports emphasized that the current situation of sports were primarily determined by two factors – the Lisbon Treaty that entered into force for more than a year ago and the Communiqué of the European Commission published on 18 January 2011.

The Hungarian Olympic Committee, the National Sports Federation, the National Leisure Sports Federation, the Hungarian Paralympic Committee, the National Sports Association for the Disabled and the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences of the Semmelweis University were also invited to the event.

Furthermore, the representatives of the five primary team sports (Hungarian Football Federation, Hungarian Water Polo Federation, Hungarian Handball Federation, Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation and the Hungarian Basketball Federation) also participated in the event. In addition, the leading officers of the five most successful federations – Hungarian Fencing Federation, Hungarian Swimming Federation, Hungarian Canoe Federation, Hungarian Wrestling Federation and Hungarian Gymnastics Federation - also attended the civil forum.

(State Secretariat responsible for Sports)