The “Sport TOP 3.1.3” project in Baranya County is being implemented as a result of a successful grant application submitted under the “Local Human Development” call for proposals within the framework of the TOP Plus program, with a gross amount of 550,234,674 HUF in non-repayable European Union funding. The initiative aims to strengthen health awareness, improve the health status of the population, and promote sports and community programs in the municipalities of Baranya County—Pécs, Komló, and Mohács—to strengthen health awareness, improve the health status of the population, and reduce social inequalities through sports, community programs, and locally available services. Special attention is given to disadvantaged groups, including women, people living in extreme poverty, Roma, people with disabilities, children, and the elderly.
The project is being implemented by a consortium led by the Baranya County Government, with the Pécs University Athletic Club (PEAC) and the Baranya County Development Agency Ltd. (BVFÜ). The county government is responsible for the project’s technical and financial coordination, organizing the opening and closing events, and ensuring the required publicity. PEAC brings decades of experience in the fields of sports and parasports, and through its own programs—such as “PEAC Comes to You” and “PEAC Is Open”—it strengthens regional sports life and the development of young talent in parasports. The BVFÜ primarily provides the professional and organizational framework for health and prevention program components, including health days, screenings, digital health literacy development programs, and Bikesafe traffic safety campaigns.
The consortium’s work is supported by several professional partners: the Social and Health Technical College and Vocational School, the Hungarian Association of Physical Therapists – South Transdanubia Region, and the Pécs City Fencing Foundation. These institutions and organizations contribute to the program’s success with their expertise in sports, health, and physical therapy—whether through health promotion training, prevention programs, or the promotion of physical activity.
As part of the project, residents of the county will have access to comprehensive, locally available health promotion services: health assessments and screenings—including cardiology, ultrasound, respiratory function, melanoma screening, hearing, and internal medicine examinations—as well as fitness assessments—support the early detection of diseases. In addition, health days, sports and community programs, thematic training sessions, and activities promoting digital health literacy (e.g., EESZT, Egészségablak, and the use of Gondosóra) help the public take a more proactive approach to their own health.
Sports and parasports play a key role: the program components implemented by PEAC strengthen the social integration of disadvantaged people, including those with disabilities, while promoting regular physical activity, community engagement, and a healthy lifestyle. Through the training of parasport coaches and mentors participating in the program, parasport becomes more accessible throughout Baranya, and local youth can try out new sports, even at a competitive level.
The “Sport TOP 3.1.3” project thus represents a health, social, and community development investment in the future of Baranya County. Thanks to this funding, residents of the county’s smaller towns and villages will also have access to high-quality services and programs, thereby improving their quality of life, strengthen their position in the labor market, and foster healthier, more active, and more cohesive communities in the long term.
