The “2nd Vision Seminar in Sports” organized by the Recreation Department of the Faculty of Sports Sciences of Near East University was held at the Grand Library of Near East University. The seminar, attended by important names from the sports world, featured speakers from the President of the Northern Cyprus Water Sports Federation Mustafa Abitoğlu, President of the Volleyball Federation Enver Kaya and President of the Tennis Federation Hasan Gazioğlu.

During the seminar, where topics such as the future of sports, management strategies and projects for young people were also discussed, the importance of sports in social development and its relationship with sustainable development goals were reviewed in detail. The seminar ended with a question and answer session after the speeches and presented plaques to the participants.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk, Head of the Recreation Department of the Faculty of Sports Sciences, who is also the Head of the Department of Health, Culture and Sports of Near East University, emphasized the role of sports in social development in his opening speech and stated that they aimed to contribute to the establishment of a strong spirit of cooperation among the participants. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk, in his opening speech, said, “The unifying power of sports strengthens not only physical but also social ties. While a visionary approach shapes the future of sports, collaborations and academic collaborations are also important components of this process.” Underlining that sports are not only entertainment but also a means of social development, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atamtürk said, “Providing opportunities for taking steps towards building a stronger sports culture together, both academically and practically, is among our main goals.”

The past, present and future of sports in Cyprus were discussed from the perspective of the Federations!

Mustafa Abitoğlu, President of the Northern Cyprus Water Sports Federation, emphasized the importance of all sports stakeholders coming together and provided a situation analysis by conveying the vision of the federation. Abitoğlu drew attention to the importance of water sports in terms of recreational activities and performance sports in the country. Volleyball Federation President Enver Kaya, on the other hand, discussed the history of Turkish Cypriot sports and sports policies in his presentation. Kaya said, “In our country, the state must cooperate with universities in order to be able to make plans based on scientific data in the field of sports. Long-term planning and archive management are essential,” and expressed that sports policies should be based on a scientific basis.

Tennis Federation President Hasan Gazioğlu also focused on the issues of ‘sponsorship law, fundraising and tennis facilities’ in sports. Gazioğlu stated that they have provided a tennis court to every region from the east to the west, which is among their primary goals, and said that they are carrying out studies to develop tennis under the guidance of professional coaches, starting from school sports. Referring to the international successes in tennis in the country and the presence of talented athletes, Gazioğlu emphasized that there is a need for serious long-term planning and a vision in the country’s sports.