Fès Meets HaBaWaBa: UEMF hosts an international meeting dedicated to the development of Water Polo among youth

On October 2 and 3, 2026, the Euromed University of Fes (UEMF) and the Euromed Sports Center hosted “Fès Meets HaBaWaBa”, a meeting dedicated to the development of Water Polo among youth, through training, teaching methodology and sharing of international experiences.

This initiative brought together in Fez international experts from the HaBaWaBa program, Moroccan Water Polo stakeholders and representatives of the university sports movement, around a common goal: to promote the development and structuring of Water Polo practice among young people.

A first day marked by discovery and exchanges

The first day was devoted to an institutional visit to UEMF and the discovery of its sports environment. International experts Prof. Bruno Cufino, President of Waterpolo Development (WPD), and Mr. Yiannis Giannouris, international coach, founder and WPD consultant and HaBaWaBa School expert, discovered the Euromed Sports Center, its sports facilities and aquatic installations.

This visit continued on the UEMF campus, with a presentation of the University and its academic and sports project. The exchanges notably addressed the issues related to the development of Water Polo and, more broadly, to supporting young people in their sports careers.

An international seminar dedicated to youth training

On Saturday, October 3, UEMF hosted the international seminar “Development of Water Polo among Youth: Training, Methodology & International HaBaWaBa Experience”. The meeting explored several dimensions related to the training and initiation of young practitioners.

The interventions notably focused on Water Polo learning methods, the development of Water Polo schools, the support of young players as well as pedagogical approaches adapted to different age categories. The international experience carried by the HaBaWaBa program also formed a central axis of the exchanges, providing insight into practices developed internationally.

The meeting also made it possible to question the role of clubs, schools and various sports structures in building an environment conducive to practice and progression for young people, while opening reflection on the prospects for developing Water Polo in Morocco.

A dynamic committed to sport and youth

Through Fès Meets HaBaWaBa, UEMF and the Euromed Sports Center helped create a space for dialogue between international expertise, Moroccan sports actors and the academic world. Beyond sharing knowledge and experience, this meeting highlighted the importance of training, supervision and transmission in the sustainable development of sports practice among young people.

The morning ended with a question-and-answer session and exchanges with the participants, followed by an official photo and the closing of the seminar. This meeting thus strengthens the vocation of the Euromed Sports Center as a space dedicated to practice, training and exchanges around sport and youth.