Malta hosted in 2023 for the third time the GSSE , welcoming nine small European States to the competition. This 20th edition was meant to be the 21st, but the 2021 GSSE in Andorra were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This edition thus, welcomed back the competition with open arms after a 4 year wait. Over 1,000 athletes competed across 10 sport disciplines. Malta 2023 focused on bringing together athletes and nations, as well as creating sense fo healthy competition.