Ukrainian children who have recently moved to Poland are discovering how being physically active with others can help them overcome language barriers and make new friends. This is the idea behind the new “Be active, be healthy!” project for Ukrainian school-aged children, launched by WHO/Europe in collaboration with the Polish Ministry of Sports and Tourism and the Institute of Sport – National Research Centre.
The project has established a series of events to improve the well-being of children who have moved to Poland, and to inspire them and their families to find new social contacts in a new country.
Protecting the health of Ukrainian families
In every country of the WHO European Region, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for 90% of premature deaths.
“The crisis in Ukraine has forced thousands of families to move out of the country to find a new life. Many of them remain vulnerable and need better protection. Increasing levels of physical activity is one of the most effective ways to promote a healthy lifestyle and well-being,” said Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe, ad interim Head of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, which is one of the co-organizers of the project.
Active games before Christmas
Sports and physical activity are our common language – that is the motto of the School Sports Club, the Polish organization coordinating the series of events for children. It aims to show that physical activity, health-promoting sports and time spent having fun together can reduce cultural differences and break down language barriers. In addition, exercise can help the children to feel better physically and mentally by increasing a sense of calm, reducing anxiety, and providing respite from the stress of the crisis in Ukraine.
Before Christmas, the Club organized 10 sporting and educational events for children and teachers. Besides taking part in active games and sports competitions, participants attended educational workshops on mental well-being and healthy lifestyles. Well known athletes, including a Polish Olympic Games medallist, took part in the activities alongside the children.
“Physical activity and health-promoting sports bring joy to people from every country and of any social background. While playing active games, children from Ukraine and Poland can feel this joy together – and become friends,” noted Dr Paloma Cuchí, WHO Representative in Poland.
“Sports help to recover a sense of normalcy and boost mental health. Physical activity and sports can help young people to cope and thrive during emergencies, and projects such as this bring me hope for a better future for all of us,” she added.
Physical activity for health
WHO recommends that school-aged children spend at least 60 minutes engaging in any type of physical activity or game at any intensity – from playing soccer in the yard to dancing. Any physical activity is better than none, and more is better.
The idea of using physical activity for improving health is grounded in the WHO European Programme of Work 2020–2025, which promotes the vision of united action for better health in every country of the Region.
*This article was amended on 23 December 2022, highlighting the current WHO recommendation for physical activity for school-aged children as an average of 60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week.