The 14th World Sport for All Conference came to a successful conclusion in Beijing today with 527 participants from around the world issuing a call to action in a unanimously approved final declaration.
The declaration was tabled by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sport for All Commission Chairman Sam Ramsamy at the closing ceremony, and called on sports and non-sports organisations such as governments, the health sector, schools and corporations, to embrace the spirit of Sport for All and promote participation by all sectors of society in sport and physical activity.
Among the action points contained in the declaration, the participants called for increased collaboration between the various entities involved in promoting the benefits of Sport for All activities, the use of tools such as social media to get the message out and promote dialogue, and the organisation of Sport for All events wherever possible.
The format of the Conference was altered this year to include a wider range of participants and encourage interaction and collaboration. The focus of the Conference this year was on practical applications and best practices that could be shared among participants and implemented worldwide.
With that in mind, representatives from governments and sports bodies were invited to attend and share their experiences in workshops and interactive panel sessions designed to encourage greater and more fruitful discussions.
“We have had a really excellent World Conference, and I would like to thank the organisers for their work,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge. “Our philosophy and approach to this year’s Conference was to share ways to get people of all ages and abilities more active. We have accomplished a lot this week in a very interactive and stimulating environment, and our declaration is an important step in the right direction.”
The Conference, which was hosted by the Chinese Olympic Committee and Beijing Municipal Government and organised by the IOC and Beijing Olympic City Development Association, was also the first of its kind to welcome a large number of local and international media.
The 15th World Sport for All Congress will take place in 2013 in Lima, Peru.
