The Jeux des îles (Island Games) is an annual multi-sport event for youth athletes from the 23 member countries of the association of Comité d’Organisation des Jeux des Iles (COJI).
The Games were created in 1989 by Mr. Pierre Santoni, chairman of the Corsican Olympic and Regional Sports Committee.
The objective of COJI was to develop a means of social integration between European countries by promoting cultural and sports exchanges targeting young islanders, with a spirit of fair play and mutual knowledge through sporting events and competitions.
The “Jeux des Iles” aim is to create solidarity between generations, fair play in sport and respect for their environment to make them true citizens of the world.
The first Games took place in 1997 in Ajaccio, Corsica.
Malta’s first participation was in 2004.
View Timeline of Jeux des îles
COJI Games Timeline
JUNE 1997 – Ajaccio (Corsica) Organization of the 1st “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Corsica, Madeira, Liguria, Sardinia, Sicily.
OCTOBER 1998 – Ajaccio (Corsica) Organization of the 2nd “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Corsica, Madeira, Sardinia, Sicily.
JUNE 1999 – Palermo (Sicily) Organization of the 3rd “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Corsica, Madeira, Malta, Sardinia, Sicily.
JUNE 2000 – Funchal (Madeira) Organization of the “Games of the Islands” quarters. Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Corsica, Madeira, Sardinia, Sicily.
JUNE 2001- Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands) Organization of the 5th “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Madeira, Martinique, Sardinia, Sicily.
JUNE 2002 – Cagliari (Sardinia) Organization of the 6th “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Elba, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Reunion, Sardinia, Sicily.
JUNE 2003 – Ponta Delgada / Angra del Heroismo – (Azores) Organization of the 7th “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Elba, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Mallorca, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily.
MAY 2004 – Sant Augustí de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) Organization of the VIII “Games of the Islands”. Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Guadeloupe, Jersey, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight
MAY 2005 – Heraklion (Crete) Organization of the 9th “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Guadeloupe, Jersey, Madeira, Malta, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight .
MAY 2006 – Palermo and Syracuse (Sicily) Organization of the 10th “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Elba, Guadeloupe, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight.
MAY 2007 – Aiacant and Bastia (Corsica) Organization of the eleven “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Crete, Elbe, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira , Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, French Polynesia, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight and Peru (exceptionally invited in Gymnastics)
MAY 2008- Pointe-A-Pitre (Guadeloupe) Organization of the twelve “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Canary Islands, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Elba, Guadeloupe, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira, Mallorca, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight.
MAY 2009- Mallorca (Balearic Islands) Organization of the XIII “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Elba, Guadeloupe, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira, Mallorca, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight.
MAY 2010 – Ponta Delgada (Azores) Organization of the XIV “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Cyprus, Corsica, Elbe, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira, Malta, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight
MAY 2011 – Palermo (Sicily) Organization of the 15th “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Elba, Jersey, Korcula, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight.
MAY 2012 – Cagliari, Alghero, Sassari (Sardinia) Organization of the XVI “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Azores, Cyprus, Corfu, Corsica, Elba, Jersey, Korcula, Malta, Martinique, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight.
MAY 2013 – Ajaccio (Corsica) Organization of the 17th “Games of the Islands” Participating islands: Cyprus, Corsica, Elba, Jersey, Korcula, Malta, Martinique, Sardinia, Sicily, Wight
MAY 2014 – Corse
MAY 2015 – Azores
MAY 2016 – Calvià (Mallorca)
MAY 2017 – Martinique
MAY 2018 – Catania (Sicily)
MAY 2019 – Corse
MAY 2022 – Mallorca (Balearic Islands)
Latest News on the COJI Games
A spectacular opening ceremony at the Floriana Granaries kickstarted the XIX Games of the Small States of Europe. The ceremony…
Maltese Olympic Committee Icon Bertie Muscat launches memoirs Junior College students taking part in the forthcoming Games of the…
Eleanor Bezzina nominated as Team Captain The recently announced Maltese contingent for the Games of the Small States of Europe…
