In the context of actions and activities for sports, the Department of Prisons participated in the competition of the European Commission #Beinclusive EU Sport Award 2021 - 2022. The competition concerns the award of good practices in sports, innovative ideas and initiatives followed by various mainly sports organizations across Europe for the inclusion of all social groups with respect for diversity, through sport. Through 87 project submissions from all over Europe, the Prison Department, the only Prison that participated, was awarded in the “Celebrating Diversity” category as one of the three best actions in European countries and was awarded a sum of 2.500 euros which will be deposited to the Welfare Fund for prisoners.
Sport is an integral part of the daily lives of prisoners and prisons in general, as it contributes to their wider education and health - physical and mental. To this end, the Prison Directorate has set up eight gyms, stadiums in all open spaces of volleyball, badminton, ping-pong, football, basketball, tennis and futsal, with state-of-the-art sports equipment for all detainees. Artistic fitness equipment has also been installed on all the exterior of the wings.
These results are another recognition and reward for the work done in the Prison Department and the changes it has gone through over the last eight years.