A highly influential group of global leaders and practitioners in sport for development will join forces during the 4th Commonwealth Sports Development Conference, held 12-13 August in Glasgow, Scotland.
Their collective mission is to identify effective models and tools to assist girls and young women around the globe in achieving their rights and actualising their full potential through sport.
"We have gathered game-changers who will undoubtedly spur fresh innovative ideas that serve to advance the rights of girls through sport,” says Women Win Executive Director and event speaker Maria Bobenrieth.
The General Secretary from Zambia’s National Organisation for Women in Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (NOWSPAR), Lombe Mwambwa, will open the half-day session dedicated to empowering young women through sport on Monday 12 August.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of the sport for development conversation as so much ground-breaking work is going on in the Commonwealth,” says Lombe. “Glasgow is a grand cultural setting for the Conference and I look forward to learning more about Scotland, the home of bagpipes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, one of my favourite authors,” says Lombe.
Other participants include:
- Kalyani Subramanyam, National Coordinator at the NAZ Foundation, India
- Suzanne Weckend-Dill, Athlete Representative, Commonwealth Games Federation
- Karen Keohane, National Programme Manager, StreetGames UK
- Fortuna Belrose, Acting Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, St. Lucia
With first-hand knowledge, Kalyani Subramanyam brings a deep understanding of the challenges faced by girls in India. "Every day I bear witness to the power of sport in transforming girls' lives in India. They arrive shy and unsure of themselves, and within a few months, they begin to find their voices as leaders and are able to 'stand tall.’ I am very excited to return to Glasgow. This conference provides the right platform to share, learn, debate and design high quality sport programmes for young people," says Kalyani.
With the selection of workshop topics available during the Conference, participating delegates have the opportunity to contribute their personal experiences to the conversations and provide critical input toward the development of a Youth Sport Charter. This charter will serve as a call to action for Commonwealth and sporting agencies regarding actualising youth empowerment.
Robert Morini, Head of International Development at UK Sport, said: “UK Sport strives to empower girls and young women through sport worldwide to help them increase their life chances and choices, and this remains a priority moving forward. UK Sport is again delighted to support the Conference, it will be a tremendous forum to discuss the issue of female empowerment and generate new ideas through the power of sport.”
The Commonwealth Sports Development Conference is one of the world’s longest running conferences related to international sports development. Don’t miss the chance to meet these inspirational leaders from around the world. Register on-line now at: www.regonline.co.uk/commonwealthconference2013