TRANSNATIONAL MEETINGS
Consortium Gathering in Madrid
Madrid, Spain – 13 September 2025
The JOY project held its consortium meeting in Madrid under the theme “Building Bridges Between Generations Through Judo.” The event was hosted by Club de Judo Newton with the support of the Madrid Judo Federation, Club de Judo de Villanueva del Pardillo and Gimnasio Wellness 2000.
The day opened with an intergenerational judo session attended by over 100 participants, ranging from young judoka to seniors. The session highlighted the values of solidarity, respect, and intergenerational connection, demonstrating how judo fosters bonds across generations.
Special guests included:
- María del Pilar Baos Revilla, Sports Councillor of Villaviciosa de Odón
- Neli Lorenzo, President of the Madrid Judo Federation
- Sara Álvarez Menéndez, three-time Olympian, world and European medallist, and Sports Director of the Spanish Judo Federation
Organizer and guest remarks:
Raúl Camacho Pérez, Director of Club de Judo Newton
“Hosting this transnational meeting was a privilege. We are grateful to the Council of Villaviciosa de Odón and the Madrid Judo Federation for their collaboration. Leading the practical session on the mat and sharing the JOY Concept with over 100 participants was an inspiring experience for all involved.”
María del Pilar Baos Revilla, Sports Councilor of Villaviciosa de Odón
“I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Madrid Judo Federation and its president, Neli Lorenzo, for their remarkable work in promoting sport in general and Judo in particular. Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of experiencing the JOY project, a beautiful initiative that brings together different generations united by a shared passion. It was truly wonderful to see grandparents and grandchildren enjoying themselves, collaborating, and taking part in an activity that is both healthy and fun. We are proud to have such outstanding professionals, whose dedication and commitment are truly inspiring.“
Neli Lorenzo, President of the Madrid Judo Federation
“I’m overjoyed that the Madrid Judo Federation co-hosted this beautiful gathering, seeing generations come together and share the joy, respect, and energy that judo brings to all of us.”
Sara Álvarez Menéndez, a World and European medalist and three-time Olympian
“I loved it – my first intergenerational judo experience! Sharing the mat with young judoka and coach Raul – simply fantastic!”
Gael, 5 years old
“It was so fun! I liked practicing with my grandma. My favorite part was the game ‘The Tail of the Mouse“. I want to play it again!”
The consortium meeting continued with discussions on project updates, reflections on ongoing activities, and planning for future directions.
The gathering concluded in a spirit of friendship and exchange, reaffirming the JOY project’s mission to use judo as a tool for bridging generations and promoting lifelong values.
Consortium Gathering in Romania
Oradea, Romania, March 2024
A productive and inspiring meeting. The event brought together our project researchers and practitioners to exchange insights and discuss intergenerational judo’s positive impact on their communities so far.
A scientific report by Dr. Simone Ciaccioni from the University of Rome Foro Italico was presented. The report analyzed the benefits and challenges of connecting generations through judo, offering valuable findings to inform future project activities.
Looking ahead, Mr. Raul Camacho Perez from Club de Judo Newton presented plans to develop a multilingual online educational programme to extend the reach of intergenerational judo learning. The programme will undergo testing on the IJF Academy Foundation platform to ensure its effectiveness and accessibility in the next phases of the project.
Ms. Špela Lampe Cakiči from Judo Club Golovec introduced the dissemination efforts of the project. The consortium aims to widely share the project’s outcomes to inspire other communities, ensuring that the results reach a broad audience and have a lasting impact.
The meeting concluded with an inspiring JOY Intergenerational Judo Training Session at
Dojo Liberty, celebrating the power of connection and collaboration through the shared practice of intergenerational judo.We were honoured to welcome Mr. Florin Daniel Lascau, 8th DAN, IJF Head Refereeing Director, whose presence greatly enriched the discussions and activities.The JOY project continues to foster meaningful connections across generations, utilizing judo as a powerful tool for inclusion, personal growth, and lifelong learning. At this meeting, these efforts were further solidified and celebrated.
The Second Gathering of the Consortium
Portorož, Slovenia, July 2024
Judo Club Rijeka: Evaluated the progress of the project and discussed the implementation strategy plan.
University of Rome Foro Italico & University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Sports: Delved into a recent review of intergenerational judo activities and preliminary survey results, offering valuable insights from coaches. You can read the review here.
Judo Club Golovec: Unveiled the newly developed JOY website, highlighting its features and functionalities aimed at improving communication and user engagement within the judo community and beyond.
Attilio Sacripanti, PhD: Delivered a special presentation titled “Parkinson and JOY as Possible Friends,” shedding light on the intersection of Parkinson’s disease and the JOY project.
Networking and Exploration: The team enjoyed the beautiful Slovenian coastline while fostering connections and collaboration among partners.
Kick Off Meeting - Rijeka, Croatia
The meeting took place in Rijeka and was attended by project managers and researchers from all participating organizations.
During the meeting, partners had the opportunity to meet in person and familiarize themselves with the rules and responsibilities of the Erasmus+ Sport project.
Discussions focused on the project’s budget, objectives, work packages, and timelines, with a focus on setting deadlines for various deliverables. It was agreed that a dedicated project website would be developed. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to the successful implementation of the JOY project, fostering collaboration and progress toward our goals.
