The aim of the MONSTER project is to raise awareness of long-term sustainability among various target groups. It is designed to improve skills and broaden the concept of sustainability by encouraging constructive comparison, the exchange of ideas and experiences, and the collaborative construction of scenarios and solutions for increasing environmental sustainability, to be shared with decision-makers at local, national and European level. Secondly, the project aims to raise awareness of sustainability among heterogeneous groups of citizens and will be an opportunity to design innovative solutions, creating links between organisations and people that can maximise their impact at international level.
The project based on the keen, innovative ideas, education and experience, of young adults (18-30 years old). In the MONSTER project, they will have the opportunity to be part of a transnational group of ambassadors who will work together throughout the duration of the project to jointly identify and disseminate optimal solutions for the adoption of virtuous behaviours, both at national and local levels, through sports federations that will act as an umbrella for the activities, both at European level, through the drafting, sharing and dissemination of a position paper intended to influence decision-makers in the adoption of guidelines and/or regulations in the context of actions for the environment and climate.
The MONSTER project aims to engage citizens of all ages, raise awareness of sustainability through sport and give participants the opportunity to experience the European dimension. In this way, the project aims to engage citizens in discussions on sustainability and encourage them to take action in their own communities.
Another important aim of the project to involve sports organisations. Their benefit from the project will that, they can shared their experience, chalenges in the sustainability, learn from each other. They can work in an international range with the project paticipants.
MONSTER will provide decision-makers with concrete data and experiments, as well as an opportunity to engage with citizens. The position paper that the project will generate can be the starting point for their decisions.
Several organizations can join in the MONSTER project. They can play a fundamental role in maximizing the impact of the project, sharing results and implementing some actions in different contexts. Furthermore, they can also bring new ideas and already realised solutions to the attention of the project partners.
MONSTER Project: Bringing Sustainability to Sports through Citizen Engagement
The MONSTER project (aMbassadors to prOmote sustaiNability in leiSure
through parTecipativE appRoach) is inspired by the CERV programme’s
mission to involve citizens and communities in meaningful discussions
and actions around climate and the environment. MONSTER focuses on
sports and sustainability, two powerful areas where citizen
participation can drive real change.
Sports have long been recognized for their ability to promote development, encourage cooperation, and foster peace. Research shows that sports can also play a key role in advancing sustainability by influencing individual behaviour and promoting eco-friendly practices. From the way major sporting events are organized to how everyday athletes engage with their surroundings; sports have the potential to create lasting environmental impact. However, many sports organizations struggle to integrate sustainability due to a lack of resources and expertise.
The MONSTER project (aMbassadors to prOmote sustaiNability in leiSure through parTecipativE appRoach) is inspired by the CERV programme’s mission to involve citizens and communities in meaningful discussions and actions around climate and the environment. MONSTER focuses on sports and sustainability, two powerful areas where citizen participation can drive real change.
MONSTER has two main objectives:
- Empowering young ambassadors with skills in sustainability and project management.
- Engaging citizens in sustainability discussions and actions through sports.
The project follows a bottom-up approach, bringing together athletes, sports organizations, and the general public in co-design processes focused on sustainability. By engaging diverse groups—including those who participate in or attend sporting events—MONSTER encourages individuals to become more aware of environmental challenges and adopt sustainable behaviours in their daily lives.
Beyond just raising awareness, MONSTER seeks to expand the concept of sustainability by involving young people and volunteers in activities that inspire broader societal change. By making sustainability a central theme in sports, the project aims to empower different actors within civil society to take ownership of environmental issues.
One of MONSTER’s key strategies is to leverage major sporting events as a platform to spread sustainability messages to a wide audience. At the same time, the project explores ways to make these events more sustainable themselves. Through a series of pilot actions (WP2, WP3, WP4), MONSTER engages citizens in designing and testing innovative sustainability practices. The best ideas will then be shared with stakeholders and decision-makers in WP5, ensuring that real change happens at different levels of society.
A crucial milestone in the project is the creation of a transnational network of sustainability ambassadors— young adults from across Europe who will work together to promote a greener future. These ambassadors will not only engage their communities but also interact with institutions to ensure their voices are heard in shaping sustainability policies.
MONSTER doesn’t stop at promoting sustainability in sports—it also seeks to influence policy and decision- making. The project will develop tools to encourage discussion, exchange of ideas, and data collection to understand the needs and priorities of citizens. One of its key outcomes will be a position paper, presented to decision-makers, to help shape future sustainability policies based on real citizen concerns and insights.
By engaging communities, empowering young leaders, and influencing policies, MONSTER aims to turn sports into a driving force for sustainability, inspiring real and lasting change across Europe.
Work performed and main activities
One of the key milestones of the MONSTER project so far has been the MONSTER Ambassadors Meeting, a two-day event that brought together 28 young participants from partner countries for an inspiring capacity- building and brainstorming experience.
During the first part of the event, the ambassadors explored ways to promote sustainable behaviours, reflecting on how individuals and communities can take action for a greener future. In the second part, they worked in groups to brainstorm ideas for upcoming pilot actions, as well as strategies for engaging stakeholders and decision-makers. The meeting fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, allowing both participants and project partners to gain valuable insights that will shape the next steps of MONSTER.
Results and impacts
The involvement of these young ambassadors is central to the project’s impact. They will benefit from different opportunities to increase their civic participation. As they enhance their knowledge and skills in sustainability, they will play a leading role in raising awareness and mobilizing their communities. Additionally, participants will gain experience working in an international setting and collaborating with European partners, strengthening their ties to European institutions. By participating in a transnational network of sustainability ambassadors, they are not only learning but also becoming drivers of change, ensuring that MONSTER’s message reaches a wide audience and translates into concrete actions for a more sustainable future.
The MONSTER project aims to include people of all ages by raising awareness about sustainability through sports and giving participants the chance to connect with others across Europe. By doing so, it hopes to engage citizens in conversations about sustainability and inspire them to act in their own communities. Another key group involved in the project is sports organizations. They will benefit in several ways. These organizations will connect with others facing similar challenges, allowing them to exchange ideas and best practices. The project’s results will be easy to share with other sports organizations across Europe, with some findings being widely published.
These results will be also shared with decision makers as a basis for further elaborations. Moreover, decision makers will have several occasions to gather and discuss proposals, coming from civil society, to improve the sustainability of sport events, from which potential development of initiatives and approval of regulations could arise.