Kassel goes green: GreenSports sustainability project starts on Earth Day!

Kassel goes green: GreenSports sustainability project starts on Earth Day!

The starting signal for the GreenSports sustainability project at the University of Kassel will be given on April 25, 2025. The event will take place on April 27, International Earth Day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include a collegiate sports booth that will provide interactive information and early challenges. Initiatives like these are important building blocks for promoting awareness of ecological, social and economic sustainability in university sports. The concept aims to meet participants according to their previous knowledge and to develop them into multipliers for environmentally conscious action in sport. The challenges are based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, which represent a global strategy to promote sustainable development.

The venue extends across Wiener Straße, between the intersection of Wiener Straße / Struthbachweg and the intersection of Wiener Straße / Hersfelder Straße, in the districts of Nord-Holland and Rothenditmold. These measures are also intended to underline the long-term effects for university sports in terms of sustainable development. The state of university sports promises an exciting opportunity to actively participate in these topics.

Sustainability in college sports: A comprehensive approach

The commitment to sustainability in sport is not limited to Kassel. The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, which will take place from July 16 to 27, 2025 in six cities, including Berlin, also send a strong signal. These games aim to promote sustainability and long-term impact in university sports. At a press event in the Animal Anatomical Theater of the Humboldt University in Berlin, the importance of legacy and sustainability was emphasized.

Around 2,000 athletes will compete in the disciplines of swimming, diving and volleyball. State Secretary Juliane Seifert emphasized that Germany is capable of hosting sustainable major sporting events. Among other things, the focus should be on social sustainability through sport, education, inclusion and diversity. Another sustainable element is the use of existing or temporary sports facilities to reduce the ecological footprint.

Experiences and future prospects

The experiences from major events such as the UEFA EURO 2024 and the Special Olympics World Games 2023 will be used as valuable resources. Christian Hochgrebe, State Secretary for the Interior of the State of Berlin, emphasized the optimal conditions of the sports metropolis Berlin, while CEO Niklas Börger described the games as a catalyst for sustainable development. A pre-Games paper was recognized by FISU and will serve as a basis for future events. Britta Steffen, former Olympic champion, also emphasized the responsibility of major sporting events to promote sustainable developments in society.

These initiatives come within the context of a broader discussion about sustainability in sport. The campaign “Goals need action – sport in the West” and the numerous events organized by RENN.west demonstrate the continuous effort to develop solutions and address the challenges in the area of ​​sustainability. The follow-up reports from various conferences also show the commitment to further shedding light on the topic of sustainability in sport and to develop innovative solutions.

Overall, both the GreenSports project and the FISU World University Games show that sustainability in sport is not just a trend, but a necessary step on the way to a responsible and sustainable sports culture.

For more information about the events and progress in sustainability in sport, click on the relevant links: uni-kassel.de, rhineruhr2025.com, renn-netzwerk.de.