From 3 to 7 November we have been happy to attend the 19th edition of the International Tool Fair (ITF) in the vibrant city of Marrakech (Morocco). There, 120 changemakers, educators, youth workers, sport practitioners, and policy actors from 33 countries came together to share, collaborate, innovate and further expand the use of participatory learning approaches.
Under the theme “PLAY FAIR – Sport as a Tool for Social Impact”, the event explored how sport can support learning, foster inclusion, and strengthen communities across Europe and beyond. As a flagship community-of-practice within Erasmus+, Sport and the European Solidarity Corps, the ITF connected experiences from Youth, Sport, School Education, Adult Learning, and VET.
In this context, an educational tool referred to any approach, activity, or method that meaningfully engaged learners—whether through simulations, role-plays, creative workshops, outdoor learning activities, or other participatory techniques.
The ITF provided an open space to exchange, refine, and reimagine these tools with a strong focus on practical transferability.
With sport as a driver for inclusion, wellbeing, empowerment, and community cohesion, the 2025 edition of the Tool Fair highlighted sport as a powerful pedagogical and social tool. Participants examined how both formal and informal sport practices can promote equity, resilience, safe learning environments, and meaningful social transformation.
The structure of the event connected participants in an organic way in a multitude of activities like:
- Tools Workshops – hands-on sessions where selected participants facilitated their own learning activities;
- Tools to Explore – thematic deep dives dedicated to developing or improving specific approaches;
- Tool Coaching – supported presenters before, during, and after their sessions;
- Tools Market – an open and dynamic space showcased a wide range of tools, publications, digital resources, methodologies, and initiatives;
- TF Talks – inspirational presentations inviting reflection, and challenged participants to think differently about education, sport, and social impact.
- Hot Spot of EU Youth Programmes – guidance and insights from National Agencies (NAs) and SALTO Resource Centres into opportunities within the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes.
During the “Tool to explore” we examined how sport can foster inclusion, break down social barriers, and strengthen communities. Through practical strategies and hands-on tools, the sessions highlighted the power of physical activity to promote diversity and equity, use sport as a platform for connection, and create meaningful relationships beyond the basketball playing field. These moments offered not just learning, but trasformative experience-showing how sport can catalyse social change in our local context.
Among the TF Talks, the testimony of Lama HATTAB from Lebanon was particularly powerful: “Twenty-five years ago, I ran 240 kilometers across the Sahara Desert with my twin sister, carrying a message of peace. I didn’t know then that this journey would shape the rest of my life — leading me to discover how sport can heal, connect, and transform. In this talk, I share what I’ve learned along the way — from breaking stereotypes as a woman athlete to witnessing the power of sport through the lives of young people at Generations For Peace. It’s a story about endurance, learning, and how every step can become a step toward peace. »
The XIX International Tool Fair created an energising, multicultural, and collaborative environment where sport became more than a game—it became a tool for learning, transformation, and social impact. Held in Marrakech, a city known for its hospitality and cultural richness, the event left everyone inspired, connected, and equipped with innovative tools to bring meaningful change to our communities.
Account by Anca David
