Maribor will host the 17th edition of the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival between July 23 and 29 in 2023.

It means that Slovenia will host the flagship gathering the first time in its history.

Taking place under the banner of the European Olympic Committees, the Summer EYOF is the largest multi-sport event for young athletes in Europe.

It gives the youngsters their first taste of the Olympic Movement and promotes a healthy lifestyle, as well as the values of fair play, gender equality, tolerance and friendship.

Around 2,500 teenage athletes are expected from 48 European countries, competing in 11 different sports.

Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia and is a major sporting centre.

It has hosted events including World Cups in mountain biking and Alpine skiing, while the city's football club NK Maribor - known for their famous purple strip - are the most successful in the Slovenian league.

Leon Štukelj, a gymnast considered as the best Slovenian Olympian of all time, was from Maribor and a square in the city, the largest in the country, is named after him.

He won three gold medals for Yugoslavia across the 1924 and 1928 Games, as well as five world titles before his death aged 100 in 1999.

Maribor sits on the Drava River and is known for its stunning nature which provides sporting and recreational opportunities for the public.

It is known for its fine wines with vineyard covered hills surrounding the city.

In 2012, Maribor was the European Capital of Culture and it was the European Youth Capital in 2013.

The University of Maribor is a key higher education site and the second oldest university in Slovenia. 

A slogan for the Games has been unveiled as "one city, one heart".

The logo features a capital M and a variety of colours to represent the unification of the various European countries.

It also includes "drops" to symbolise the effort required to achieve good results.

Nataša Ritonija is the director of the EYOF and Sašo Polič is chief operating officer.