SPORT 1913 - 2013

and practical experiences to all interested na- tional and international organisations made the cooperation with the CSIT a living one. In the later mentioned registration pro- cess in Austria, the ICCSPE partnership was of the highest importance. This full membership of CSIT also initiated the “Formal Associate Relationship” with the UNESCO which led to the CSIT becoming part of the “Permanent Consultative Council” (PCC) of the Intergov- ernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS). Such evidence had to be provided following the request of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Af- fairs. The written confirmation of the ICCSPE opened the final door to achieve the status of a separate legal entity; the official registration process of CSIT could now be finalised. Under the Presidency of MP Prof. Kalevi Olin (1996-2008) from TUL Finland, the TUL re- ceived financial support from the Finnish Government for the CSIT costs in order to run the administrative office of the Confederation and to employ half-time a person in charge of the secretariat in Helsinki. This 12-year long subvention was more than welcome, as the annual budgets of CSIT have always been nar- row. The state subventions made possible the financing of professional support to the to- tally voluntary lead organisation. When, in the CSIT Congress 2008 in Tel Aviv, Israel, Mr Olin decided not to stand for New Openings in Governmental Cooperation

re-election, his successor Harald Bauer from ASKÖ Austria presented his candidature and won the election against Vice-President Lo- renzo Bani from UISP Italy. Mr Bauer prom- ised to work hard to get the financial support from the Austrian Sports Ministry and from the Viennese City Government. This continu- ation of governmental subvention of the CSIT ensured that the General Secretariat could be further run professionally. Bauer continued the former efforts of CSIT Treasurer Wim Hoeijenbos and Vice- President Michael Sulzbacher to get the CSIT officially registered as an international con- federation. Since the CSIT had been maintain- ing a large network in the international sports world, after a hard work of President Bauer, the State of Austria officially awarded NGO status for the first time in the existence of the Confederation along with the privileges as an international non-governmental non-profit organisation. The Austrian Ministry for Euro- pean and International Affairs (2009) and the Ministry of Finances (2010) granted legal sta- tus to the CSIT as a charitable organisation as of October 2009 and June 2010 for the follow- ing five years. After expiration of this period the CSIT will be required to demonstrate their NGO and NPO statutes again. The official registration enabled the CSIT to apply for funds within the programs of the European Union and to start the co-operation with other international partners in sports that have applied for subventions. Since regis- tration, several initiatives have been set up

such as special projects for Youth and Sports, Migration and Sports, European citizenship and Sports, Fair Play and Sports. A Strategic Move to Company Sports and the ISCA The International Sport and Culture Associa- tion (ISCA) is an international association, whosemembers are primarily non-governmen- tal entities in the field of sport and culture for all. The ISCA understands sports as an integral part of cultural life and its members are located in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South Amer- ica. Sport in the sense of ISCA is not only un- derstood to be competitive and health related, but also for recreation, pastimes, games and leisure activities. ISCA has made great efforts to organise annual congresses on sport and cul- ture related content and has succeeded in es- tablishing a professional organisational struc- ture (CSIT – ISCA 2009). Sport and Culture play an important role in education and also serve to encourage peo- ple to become responsible citizens in their so- ciety. The main objective of ISCA is the pro- motion of understanding between people of different origins through sport and cultural activities, by placing it in the centre of inter- national ideas, views and cultural expressions. These similarities and mutual interest led to a memorandum of understanding being drawn up and signed by ISCA President Mogens Kirkeby and Harald Bauer in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2009 (CSIT – ISCA 2009). The improvement of the quality of life through

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