“The Malta Volleyball Association (MVA) is working extremely hard and I was pleased to see the impressive results they have achieved by means of their energy, enthusiasm and passion.”
These were the words of Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV) president Aleksandar Boricic at the end of short visit to Malta earlier this month for the first plenary meeting of the CEV Executive Committee in 2017.
Among the many items on the agenda, the CEV Executive Committee discussed actions and ideas to increase volleyball activities across the continent, thus involving all 56 national federations affiliated within the governing body for the sport.
“Our priority is to grow volleyball at all levels,” Boricic was quoted as saying at the end of the meeting.
“In Malta, we invite all members of the volleyball family, all stakeholders and all those working for the good of our sport to come forward with ideas and proposals on how we can best grow our activities and raise the profile of our sport.”
Jesmond Saliba, the MVA head, expressed his satisfaction at the successful outcome of the CEV Executive Meeting.
“All our initiatives that have been undertaken to ensure the growing popularity of the sport and its development at various levels were discussed with our counterparts from Europe,” he said.
“We are also working at strengthening the role of our sport in its various dimensions and this has been recognised and endorsed by the international and local sport authorities.
“The CEV delegates’ visit was not an end in itself but the beginning of the next phase in our plan for the sport in Malta as we also seek to contribute at European level.”
While in Malta, Boricic and CEV senior vice president Renato Arena, accompanied by Saliba, met President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.
During the meeting discussions evolved on the importance of volleyball in the national agenda in terms of education, social inclusion and healthy lifestyles.
Another meeting included local club presidents and delegates as well as volleyball national team players and those from the Youth Talent Development Programme.
During his stay in Malta, Boricic also found time to visit Id-Dar tal-Providenza, the residence for people with special needs which is synonymous with volleyball as the sport contributes regularly to collect funds for the home.
The launching of the CEV Executive Committee meeting was also attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Chris Agius and Mark Cutajar, the SportMalta CEO.