Learning communication skills to transmit values is the name of the conference to set take place tomorrow at 7 p.m. under the guidance psychologists Paco Pérez and Pere Serra in the culture department's hall of ceremonies. It is the very first in a series of talks grouped together under the banner Esport és més (Sport is more), an initiative to promote the values inherent in sport. The initiative is being promoted by the CiF's office of sport and between the Council and the Govern Balear will receive 15,000€ in public funding, explained Councillor Jordi Vidal.

From now until June, Formentera-based sports specialists will give conferences on topics tailored to suit different local audiences.

The conferences – intended for all audiences – will be held in the department of culture's hall of ceremonies (la sala d'Actes). Two other talks are also on tomorrow's line-up: Conflict resolution resources for sports professionals by Carlos Murillo and Michael Romero and Solidarity with the Third World by Javier Colomo. Finally, a third event – a seminar entitled Working with values in sport, from start to finish – will round out the agenda for the first round of talks.

Another three talks will be given at Formentera schools. The first – another by Javier Colomo – is titled Helping the Third World through sport. The second is called Sacrifice, the top brass and motivation, the Olympic dream and will be given by Asier Fernández and Mateo Sanz. The last of the three talks, led by Indra Roig, is titled Oral and dental hygiene and why they're important in sport.

On-going encounters will be held on a monthly basis in an effort to provide counsel and resources to sports clubs and team trainers, monitors, directors and athletes themselves. Some of the topics include Coaching and social acceptance at the team and individual level and Conflict resolution resources for sports professionals. These talks will be led by Pere Serra and Michael Romero.

Furthermore, conference organisers will distribute informational material in the form of brochures and bookmarks to students and other attendants and use footage from the events to create a promotional video. The goal, underscored Vidal, is to promote the values like teamwork, respect and effort that are essential in sport. «The same thing that makes Formentera so unique also makes strong values – like those that underpin sport – crucial to the healthy development of each one of us», said the councillor.

Earlier today, Jordi Vidal, department head of the Formentera Council’s office of sport, handed out cheques to winners of the island’s first sport photography competition, el Concurs de Fotografia Esportiva. First prize was snagged by José Antonio Arribas, second by Kevin Cabezuelo and third, Beni Marull. The three Formentera natives walked away with awards in the amount of 300, 200 and 100 euros respectively.

A total of 26 submissions from ten participants were received for this first year of the contest. The prints currently adorn the hallways of the Antoni Blanc fitness centre. Councillor Vidal highlighted the broad range of sports represented – entries included everything from motocross to water sports – and encouraged local photographers to «start thinking about next year’s contest».

The jury for the event was composed of painter Robert P. Hawkins; photographer Juan Pica; Obra Cultural Balear rep Marià Castelló; Carmelo Convalia, reporter for local newspaper Diario de Ibiza and Councillor Vidal. The group met last Wednesday, 2 December, to deliberate and choose the winners. The winning photos will be kept on permanent display at the fitness centre. Councillor Vidal also thanked JJ Fotògrafs for contributing six prints used in the decoration for the event.

In a nod to this Friday’s Day of the Child, the Council’s office of sports has put together a very special evening for youth aged 14 to 18 at the Antoni Blanc fitness centre. Department head Jordi Vidal described his office’s coordination of sports activities from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight, «including dances, skill-based games and sports, and use of the pool and gym».

Saturday, open-house at sports centre

The following day, 21 November, a day of sports will be geared toward families. «With the open-house on Saturday, Formentera families will have a whole day to get physical and focus on the family at the same time», explained Councillor Vidal, who described a wide array of activities as being organised. From 9:15 to 12 noon, children will have the opportunity to try out judo, basketball, indoor football and tennis, just to name a few, and from 12 to 1, staff will open up the swimming pool for water play. Finally, the kids can have a bit of a rest and snack from 1:15 to 2, before winners are announced in the school drawing contest for the Day of the Child.

All the while, parents can take part in an organised walk to Can Marroig put together by the Espalmador sports group; try their hand (or foot) at indoor cycling, pilates, self-defence or zumba classes; practice paddleball or tennis on the nearby courts; or head to the pool for open swim. The councillor invited all of Formentera to «come out to get a first-hand look at all the sports and fitness activities posible here on the island».

This morning in the plenary hall of the Formentera Council, audience members learned about the double sponsorship of local athletes Joan Carles Cardona, Mateo Sanz and Sergi Escandell, three windsurfers for whom the 2016 Olympic games in Rio just might be in the cards.

The Council has earmarked €10,000 for each of the three young men and the hotel chain RIU has pitched in another €6,000 each. The money is intended to ensure that the athletes are able to dedicate as much time as possible to training.

At the event were Formentera Council president Jaume Ferrer, sports councillor Sergio Jiménez, Hotel La Mola director Gina Noguer, social responsibility administrative director for the RIU company Cati Alemany, head of the Formentera's local sailing school Asier Fernández and the three windsurfers, Joan Carles Cardona, Mateo Sanz and Sergi Escandell.

First of the group to speak, Cardona revealed that he and his companions were “excited to keep working hard and eager to show the Council and the RIU company how much we appreciate their efforts”. Sanz and Escandell said their goal was to make it to the Olympics and finished by promising: “We're going to do our best to see that it happens”.

Council president Ferrer spoke about the excitement in the air that at least one of the athletes make the Olympic cut. Ferrer noted that if any of them did, he would have the distinction of being the first Formenterenc to make it that far. The president spoke about the extraordinary effort that each of the boys had made - “it would be impossible to get this far doing it any other way” - and thanked Asier Fernández for a career marked by hard work: “From the beginning Asier has lead the school. He is the reason these athletes were able to reach their level of technical and competitive prowess”.

Ferrer also called to mind the “enormous efforts on the part of past administrations of the Ajuntament de Formentera as well as the current administration of the Council to keep the sailing school going”.

Fernández, director of what is commonly called the escola de vela on the island, gave thanks for all “the backing given to the boys and to the escola” and said, “We sure hope we can make this Olympic dream a reality”.

“Youth and sports give added value”

Gina Noguer of RIU congratulated the three young men and thanked the Council for its work. In her words, the current project “is an example of how the tourism industry can get involved in local community projects”. Cati Alemany stated: “Sports and youth contribute added value to Formentera”.