Obesity was discussed during a seminar in Sivas, Turkey, that brought together participants from Malta, Latvia and France.

The Maltese contingent was led by Kevin Agius together with Stephen Formosa, Ian Jones, Brenda Cutajar, Ian Farrugia and Douglas Da Silva Pace. The visit was coordinated by the Malta Exercise Health and Fitness Association, a Maltese NGO that works to promote healthy living through sports, good lifestyle and a healthy diet.

The participants were chosen after a call for applications was issued among those studying health and fitness at Future Focus, which works closely with the association to promote health and fitness training in Malta.

For the ‘Youth in Action’ project, the group prepared a presentation about obesity in Malta.

They also organised a cultural evening featuring Maltese food, music and activities, during which they spoke about the advantages of Malta as a destination for sports and health-related activities.

The Turkish group was led by Sivas Educators, who coordinated the stay in Sivas. The place is a moderately-sized trade centre and industrial city, although the economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Rail repair shops and a thriving manufacturing industry of rugs, bricks, cement, and cotton and woollen textiles form the mainstay of the city’s economy.

The surrounding region is a cereal-producing area with large deposits of iron ore. The participants were taken round the city where they admired the 13th century Seljuk architecture.