Next Step Conference Promotes Young Leaders in Sport

The Next Step 2007 Conference, hosted by UK Sport and the Namibian Government, took place from 19 to 22 September in Windhoek, Namibia. 26 Sep 2007 By IPC

The Conference, entitled 'Sport - Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders Today' is a major international forum on human development through sport. It focused on sport’s contribution to the building of a peaceful and better world by empowering young leaders to grasp the sporting values of friendship and fair play, while bringing together key policy makers to highlight the value of educating and developing young people through sport.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven and IPC Development Manager Amy Farkas were amongst the attendees and speakers from throughout the international sport for development movement, presenting on social development and inspiration through sport. Representatives from National Paralympic Committees of Namibia, Zambia and Rwanda also actively contributed to the conference.

The conference will actively contribute to the work of the UN International Working Group on Sport for Development and Peace by demonstrating the power of sport as a vehicle to reach the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in the fields of education and youth development, gender equality and empowerment of women, combating HIV/Aids and other communicable diseases.