Bonn, Germany – Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Margriet of the Netherlands has confirmed her acceptance of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) invitation to become the first member of the IPC Honorary Board. HRH met this week with IPC President Phil Craven at Het Loo House, her official residence.

Said Mr. Craven: “On behalf of the Paralympic Family, I would like to thank Your Royal Highness for agreeing to join the Honorary Board and for supporting the IPC's goal of fulfilling its vision and mission.”

As a member of the IPC Honorary Board, HRH has agreed to be an advocate and an ambassador for the Paralympic Movement, helping the IPC to disseminate the positive values and message of the Paralympic Movement to as wide an audience as possible.

"The IPC can be the necessary catalyst to improve the attitude of society all over the world to persons with a disability: to make them see what is possible instead of what is impossible to people with a disability," commented HRH Princess Margriet.

 

IPC President Phil Craven, HRH Princess Margriet of The Netherlands
and Erik de Winter, Secretary General of the Dutch NPC, ©Photo: IPC Staff

 

 

HRH has been an active supporter for the Paralympic Movement and took a leading role as a member of the Organizing Committee of the 1980 Paralympic Games in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Princess Margriet, as an IPC Honorary Board Member, was officially invited by Mr. Craven to attend the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, to be held from 10 to 19 March 2006.

The main purpose of the IPC Honorary Board is to allow leaders of society an opportunity to support the vision of the Paralympic Movement and to strive to maintain the issue of sport for persons with a disability high on the agenda of the global community. Honorary Board Members assist the IPC in creating opportunities for raising awareness and funding, through the Member’s network of contacts and sphere of influence. Through their efforts to help the IPC to achieve the above goals, Honorary Board Members will allow the mission and vision of the IPC to be fulfilled, thus improving the quality of life of persons with a disability around the world.