ISCA AWARDS 2025: Global IRTS

29 October 2025 Copenhagen



CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – ISCA AWARDS 2025


*CALL CLOSED*

#GlobalIRTS #MOVECongress #ISCAawards



The ISCA Awards celebrate impactful initiatives that make a difference through sport and physical activity. Every two years, we honour those who lead change, inspire others, and contribute to a more inclusive world.

In 2021, we honoured projects in Integration of Refugees Through Sport (IRTS), and now, we are bringing IRTS back into focus. So much incredible work has been done in this field, but there is still more to be recognised, celebrated, and shared.



The 2025 Awards categories:

IRTS Role Model (Citizens’ Choice) – Honouring inspiring individuals whose leadership and dedication have transformed lives through sport.

IRTS & Community – Celebrating initiatives that use sport and physical activity to strengthen social bonds, foster a sense of belonging, and create inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued.

IRTS & Mental Health – Recognising projects that use sport and physical activity to support mental well-being, resilience, and empowerment.

Refugee-Led Initiatives – This one is for refugee-led projects! Recognising those who use sport to rebuild lives, promote inclusion, and create opportunities within their communities—proving that sport is a universal language.



Read more

Gain the opportunity to showcase your work and inspire others!

We believe
in the power of inspiration.


Jacob SCHOUENBORG
ISCA Secretary General

WHY TO APPLY?


Shortlisted finalists will receive international recognition, support in promoting their initiatives, a funded trip to Copenhagen, and a chance to win a cash award.

All eligible applicants will have their initiatives listed on the ISCA Awards webpage.

All shortlisted finalists (3 from each award category) will have a description of their initiative on the webpage.

All shortlisted finalists will receive communication support from ISCA in their efforts to promote their awards and nominations.

All shortlisted finalists will be awarded a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark to showcase their work on the global stage, and be announced at the award show during ISCA’s MOVE Congress 2025 29-31 October2025 (flight, hotel and fee covered*).

**flight, accommodation and event participation at the MOVE Congress 2025 covered by ISCA: For EU travels up to 300€ and outside of EU up to 1000€ of travel contribution to their travel costs, with their accommodation (2 nights with one or two additional night IF needed due to travel) and event participation fully covered)



Win a cash prize

The winners from each category will receive a cash prize of 3000 euro.

ELIGIBILITY AND AWARD CRITERIA


Eligbility criteria

The application process will commence with an open call in May and June, followed by an evaluation by ISCA’s panel of experts.

To be eligible for this evaluation, applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

Applications are welcome from entities or individuals from various sectors, including NGOs, public sector, private sector and education.

Can apply from any country in the world

The application should be submitted in English, including the required data, by the stated deadline. Applicants may utilise translation tools such as Google Translate if necessary.

The initiative or project being nominated must have produced positive results within the last three years.



AWARD CRITERIA

If an applicant has fulfilled the eligibility criteria, the jury will assess the applications. An application must showcase good practice in one of the four award categories. An applicant can apply in more than one category but can only be shortlisted for one award. In the application form, we invite applicants to touch upon the following questions:


Questions for the 1-3 category:

Who are you/your organisation?

What do you want to achieve?

What is the approach/work/activities you deliver?

How are refugees and the local community involved in the design and implementation of activities?

Who are your partners?

What barriers have you overcome?

What makes your work unique?

What is the impact you have made?

How do you ensure visibility and awareness of your project?



Questions for the Role Model (Category 4)

For the Role Model category, the nominating person will answer the questions on behalf of the nominee. Self-nominations are also allowed.

Describe the outstanding work and achievements of the nominee in IRTS.

How has the nominee made a significant impact on the lives of others through their initiatives or activities?

What makes the nominee's work unique and deserving of recognition?

How has the nominee demonstrated leadership, dedication, and innovation in the field of IRTS?


Please provide any additional information or supporting evidence that showcases the nominee's exceptional contributions.

Note: The above questions are to be answered by the nominating person on behalf of the nominee. Please provide detailed and compelling responses that highlight the nominee's remarkable work and contributions.

We have created a novel process for applying and evaluating submissions. This means that applicants can describe their work in their own way and focus on their strengths. Applicants decide how much information they deem necessary for their work to be assessed, and they can provide links to pictures, videos, and websites.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS?


*CALL CLOSED*

Please complete your application using this form and submit it no later than 25 of June 2025.

The summary must be a maximum of 800 characters, and the full description cannot exceed 5,000 characters. However, consider whether you can make your description more concise and compelling in fewer words!

You may provide up to five links to relevant videos, pictures, and websites. Think about how you can best persuade the jury and make the most of your existing materials.


Confirmation from ISCA

You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been submitted, and you will be notified of the results of the application and selection process.


Need help or advice?

If you have any questions regarding this form or your application, please contact Liina Sepp ls@isca-web.org

Selection:

  • All applications will be assessed by the jury, and three shortlisted applications per category will be announced on 15 September 2025.
  • The jury will select three winners (one per the first three categories) and announce them at the award ceremony on 29 October 2025 in Copenhagen.
  • The People’s Choice Award voting will begin on 15 September 2025 among the three shortlisted applications from the fourth category and will run until 15 October 2025. The winner will also be announced on 29 October 2025.

Awards ceremony:

All 12 shortlisted candidates will be invited to the ISCA Awards 2025: Global IRTS Celebration at the MOVE Congress in Copenhagen on 29 October 2025. Their flight, accommodation, and event participation at the MOVE Congress 2025 will be covered by ISCA (with a maximum contribution of €500 towards their flight costs, while accommodation and event participation will be fully covered).

EVALUATION PROCESS


ISCA’s secretariat will assess the eligibility of the applications based on the eligibility criteria outlined above.

A jury will evaluate the remaining applications. Their evaluation is based on their expertise and the provided information and will be done by scoring each application. The final winners will be selected after the jury’s deliberations.

The “Citizens' Choice” voting online will determine the winner among the shortlisted candidates in the Role Model category.

HOW WILL THE AWARDS BE DELIVERED?

The ISCA Awards 2025 will be presented to the winners at the MOVE Congress on 29 October 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark.


Timeline
5 May 2025 Call for applications opens
25 JUNE 2025 Deadline for submission of applications
10 JULY 2025 Eligible applicants announced on ISCA Awards website
15 SEPTEMBER 2025 Announcement of the shortlisted candidates
15 SEPTEMBER 2025 Public voting for Role model starts
15 OCTOBER 2025 Public voting closes
29 OCTOBER 2025 ISCA Awards 2025 celebration

We hope to keep to the planned schedule, though some dates may change if challenges come up along the way.

"Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or [name of granting authority]. Neither the European Union not the granting authority can be held responsible for them"