IPC to host Membership Gathering in Madrid

“I want to ensure the IPC is an open and collaborative organisation, and this Gathering will enable attending members and athletes to share their views on key areas that matter to them."

More than 200 stakeholders will attend an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Membership Gathering in Madrid, Spain, this week (7-9 September) to discuss the future direction of the Paralympic Movement.

During three days of meetings and workshops, representatives from around 100 IPC member organisations will have the opportunity to share their views and opinions on key areas that will form part of the next IPC Strategic Plan due to be published in 2019. Amongst the attendees will be representatives from National Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Regional Organisations and International Organisations of Sport for the Disabled, as well as recognised International Federations and commercial partners.

Ahead of the event, IPC members were given the opportunity to select topics of importance to be discussed in Madrid. The six areas that have been chosen are:

• Being an athlete-centred organisation

• Ensuring athlete health and well-being

• The future of classification

• Youth development

• Enhancing membership engagement

• Governance review

In addition to these important strategic areas, attendees will also receive updates on the IPC-IOC Agreement, the IPC Athletes’ Council strategy, the Agitos Foundation strategy and the IPC’s efforts on diversity and inclusion. IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr will also give a speech during Friday morning’s welcome session.

Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “I am really looking forward to what I am sure will be three very productive days in Madrid. The IPC Membership Gathering is a fantastic opportunity for the IPC members to have their input on the strategic direction of the Paralympic Movement.

“I want to ensure the IPC is an open and collaborative organisation, and this Gathering will enable attending members and athletes to share their views on key areas that matter to them.

“All input from this event will feed into the next IPC Strategic Plan, a strategic document that will further develop the Paralympic Movement, its members and its athletes.

“One year on from the IPC General Assembly in Abu Dhabi, the Gathering will also enable the Governing Board and I to update the membership on what we have achieved together in our first 12 months.

“I would like to thank the Spanish Paralympic Committee for their support in organising the IPC Membership Gathering which I aim to make a biennial event in the Paralympic Movement’s calendar.”

To ensure the event reaches the whole Paralympic Family, 20 NPCs will be attending the IPC Gathering through solidarity payments made by the IPC.

On Friday evening, the Spanish Paralympic Committee and its President Miguel Carballeda Piñeiro will host a reception to welcome IPC members to the Spanish capital.