This summer, 145 children from 33 disadvantaged communities got to enjoy Lake Balaton at the Five Regions Games 2025 sports and activity camp, organized by the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta.
Now in its fourth year, the camp aimed to provide fun, meaningful summer experiences and opportunities to connect with others, while encouraging young people who take part in local sports and training programs throughout the year.
The Five Regions Games 2025 is part of the Presence in the Emerging Settlements project, funded by the European Union under the Human Resources Development Operational Programme Plus. The Pillar initiative, one of the EU’s key projects for 2021–2027, works to promote social inclusion in 300 disadvantaged communities by 2029. In many places, sport is used as a tool to strengthen communities and support social inclusion.
The Révfülöp camp ran from August 4–7, 2025. Beyond swimming in the lake, the children enjoyed a packed program of activities: a fire-juggling show, an interactive detective game, a Freestyle FC performance, board games, skill competitions, and a teen disco. Special guests included Olympic bronze medallist and world champion boxer Zsolt Erdei and former national football goalkeeper Gábor Király, who inspired the kids with sports demonstrations and fun games.
The Emerging Settlements programme began in 2019, coordinated by the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta with civil and church organizations. Its goal is to help disadvantaged communities catch up, making sure children everywhere have access to opportunities to develop their talents.
These camps are about more than just summer fun: they give children the confidence, motivation, and support from their communities to work towards their goals with belief and perseverance.
