In the period 02-03 December 2022, within the framework of the third international scientific congress “Applied Sciences in Sports”, Bulgarian sports development association presented the current activities of the organization, including the SMILE initiative to leading scientists, coaches and experts from Bulgaria and abroad. Sport, Motivation, Inclusion, Leadership, Engagement – #SMILE project aims to analyse the link between sport and inclusion in an innovative and different way – by ensuring international participation in sport activities of persons with intellectual disabilities. An international sports event is coming, within the framework of the initiative, which will be held in Croatia in April 2023.

The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, N.R. Maria Gabriel – European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education Youth and Sports, Vesela Lecheva – Minister of Youth and Sports, Yordanka Fandakova – Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Krasimir Valchev – Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science in the 48th National Assembly, Prof. Daniela Dasheva – Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Children, Youth and Sports in the 48th National Assembly, Dr. Alexander Simidchiev – Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Health in the 48th National Assembly, Prof. Albena Chavdarova – Deputy Minister of Education and Science, the Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics Laura Traats, the representative of the World Health Organization in Bulgaria Mihail Okoliyski, representatives of the Bulgarian Medical Union, the Bulgarian Association for Recreation, Integration and Sports and numerous sports experts. Within the framework of the congress, a round table was held on the topic “Restoring the sports sector after the pandemic – organizational, managerial, sports-technical and psychological problems”, parallel sessions on thematic sections, poster sessions and a symposium on the topic “Sport and the Sustainable Development Goals – challenges and prospects”. Among the main thematic areas of the event were sport and health, sport for people with disabilities, sport psychology, sport philosophy, psychotherapy, biomechanics, sport pedagogy, physical education, sport sociology and statistics, sport management and kinesitherapy.