Following the recent influx of refugees in Europe and growing demands of programmes that promote inclusion and address a also growing nationalist and anti-migrant sentiment, the Sport Inclusion Network (SPIN) is organising a two-day conference on the challenges and opportunities for migrants, ethnic minorities and refugees in European sport.

The conference will be held in the Hungarian capital Budapest on 25 and 26 November and will bring together a rol of grassroots activists, sport stakeholders, migrant and ethnic minority groups, as well as human rights advocates, researchers and students to promote a multi-disciplinary approach on the topic.

Hosted by Fare member Mahatma Gandhi Human Rights Organisation, the conference will be divided into two panel discussions and three workshops on the first day and a mix of presentations and panel sessions on the second day.

The networking initiative will look to identify good practice in the context of the promotion of equal access and volunteering of migrants and minorities in sport; explore new approaches to communication and awareness regarding combating the exclusion of immigrants and minorities in sport; promote the self-organisation, capacity building and empowerment of migrant groups and minorities in sport; bring together the results and findings of the SPIN most recent Eramus+ project and draw conclusions and recommendations for future action.

Gibril Deen, founder and president of Mahatma Gandhi Human Rights Organisation, said: "As you likely know, the political situation in Hungary, along with much of Europe, right now is quite tense when it comes to the status of mirgrants. The ongoing refugee crisis in Europe is attracting significant anti-foreigner and anti-minority sentiment.

"Holding this international event, which prioritises the inclusion of refugees, migrants and minority groups, in today’s Hungary, is an act of solidarity with those actors fighting for equality and human rights in Hungary and Eastern Europe."

The conference will mark the end of the network's "ESPIN - Promoting Equal Opportunities of Migrants and Minorities through Volunteering in Sport" Eramus+ project to involve those who are at risk of social exclusion, which ran between January 2015 to December 2016 and focused on delivering workshops for education, practice guidance and research in the social area.