On April 16, 2022, in the town of Berkovitsa, a training event was held. During the event, health and sports experts from the town got acquainted with the specifics of physical activity for adults. The training was conducted within the HEPA (Health Enhancing Physical Activity) project, co-funded under the Erasmus+ programme of the European union, which aims to encourage participation in recreational physical activity for seniors (persons age 65+) by developing new recreational sport programmes suited for 3 types of most common health conditions – back pain, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. The initiative is running simultaneously in five European countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Slovenia and Serbia. The Bulgarian partner of the initiative is the Bulgarian sports development association.

After the training, a four-month free program for physical activity for adults is going to be held in the town, coordinated by the local partners of the project – Health in the northwest association. The event included lectures on: Physical activity for adults – current data and challenges; Recommendations for physical activity; Cooperation between health and sports; Adapted sports and inclusion in sports and physical activity of all groups in society; Resource security – opportunities for support; Opportunities and challenges for physical activity in a post-COVID environment, Physical activity for adults – Applicable exercises; Osteoporosis and its specifics, as well as a practical sports session – Let’s be active together!. Speakers at the event were Valentina Brankina – chairperson of the Health in the northwest association, Ivelina Kirilova, PhD – expert in adapted physical activity and sport, Ivelina Dimitrova – kinesitherapist and specialist in adapted physical activity and sport, Diana Hadzhiangelova – chairperson of the Association of Bulgarians with asthma, allergies and COPD and Joanna Dochevska – chairperson of the Bulgarian sports development association. Among the participants were proven sports specialists from Berkovitsa, including Tatiana Elenkova and Plamena Chuburova, who are going to conduct the four-month pilot program, medical professionals, rehabilitators and experts from social institutions and centers in the region.