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IWG2022 on track to surpass global attendance records

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The 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport is now fast on its way to becoming the biggest sports conference to ever be staged in Aotearoa New Zealand

  • Over 1,100+ sport and recreation leaders and change-makers have already confirmed to attend from 300+ organisations in almost 60 countries worldwide 
  • Global delegations attending from across the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games families; 22 different types of sports industry organisations registered

The 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport is joining the Rugby World Cup in setting new records for women’s sport. Confirmed participation has surged past 1,100+, as sport and recreation leaders from 300+ organisations in almost 60 countries prepare to meet in Aotearoa New Zealand for the world’s largest gathering to advance gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity.

IWG NZ Secretary General, Rachel Froggatt, said: “Just over 1,200 participants attended the last gathering four years ago in Gaborone, Botswana – making IWG 2018 the largest to date. To already have well over 1,100+ coming to IWG 2022 means we are on track to surpass that record, and its fast on its way to becoming the biggest sports conference to ever be staged in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Our ambition is to reach 1,200 in person on the ground and up to 500 online. With six weeks left to register, we could not be more thrilled to be where we are now – especially because we are still providing hundreds of people with registration, travel and visa support. This growth, especially in the wake of COVID-19, says everything it needs to about momentum in women’s sport the world over.”

Additional analysis of registrations reveals some interesting additional insights about participants to date: 79% are new to IWG, with 21% having attended previously in Botswana, Finland, Australia, Japan, Canada, Namibia or the UK; 74% of participants have chosen a hybrid pass, giving them access to both the in person and virtual events; and 62% of all participants are under the age of 46.

IWG 2022 is being designed and staged by Women in Sport Aotearoa, Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa (WISPA), on behalf of the international Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport. It will take place at Te Pokapū – the Aotea Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Online, from Monday 14 to Thursday 17 November 2022. The event neatly dovetails into the end of the women’s Rugby World Cup and comes on the heels of the 2023 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup Official Draw. These three events will turn Aotearoa New Zealand into the epicentre of women’s sport globally in October and November. Both World Rugby and FIFA are already registered for IWG 2022.

Staged as a hybrid for the first time, over 220+ sessions and almost 500 speakers are scheduled for IWG 2022. It has been built on social learning principles inspired by storytelling and collaboration inherent to the indigenous Māori culture of Aotearoa New Zealand, meaning that over 90% of all content, both in person and online, has been designed to be fully interactive. Participants will explore five global themes through seven lenses and agree practical solutions to be applied in their own home contexts. Programming has been generated by a 150+ strong team of global experts.

The core programme features some of the world’s most influential sport and physical activity organisations, plus advocacy groups, governments, business, media and academia – including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup team; Women’s Sport Foundation (founded by Billie Jean King); the Commonwealth Games Federation, and the UNESCO Global Observatory for Gender Equality in Sport. Visit the “Programme” page to explore the content and create your ‘favourites’ list: www.iwgworldconference.org/programme.

Group Packages are now on sale now alongside individual registrations, with a call to action to ‘Register your Delegation’. Confirmed delegations include the IOC, World Rugby, Oceania Hockey, and the Japan Sports Council: sign-up: https://iwgwomenandsport.org/register-group-delegation/

 


 

Countries registered for IWG 2022:

Australia; Austria; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belgium; Botswana; Cameroon; Canada; Central African Republic; Chile; The Democratic Republic of the Congo; Cook Islands; Costa Rica; Fiji; Finland; France; French Polynesia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Hong Kong; India; Ireland; Isle of Man; Israel; Japan; Kenya; Liberia; Madagascar; Malaysia; Mauritania; Mauritius; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Samoa; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Solomon Islands; South Africa; Spain; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Vanuatu; Vietnam; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.

Global organisations registered for IWG 2022 (sample from amongst 300+):

Aboriginal Sport Circle Canada; Asia Rugby; Australian Institute of Sport; Australian Football League; Commonwealth Games Federation; Badminton World Federation; Botswana National Sports Commission; Childfund Sport for Development; Conférence des Ministres de la Jeunesse et des Sports de la Francophonie; Council of Europe; Federal Government of Canada; FIBA; FIFA; FIM – Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme; Football Australia; Gaelic Players Association; UNESCO Global Observatory for Gender Equality & Sport; Indigenous Sport Council Alberta; International Chess Federation; IOC; International Council For Coaching Excellence; International Cricket Council; International Hockey Federation (FIH); International Surfing Association; Japanese Center for Research on Women in Sport; Laureus Sport for Good; Motorcycling Australia; National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia; National Sports Council of Finland; Nepal Rugby Association; Norwegian School of Sport Sciences; Oceania Football Confederation; Rugby Football Union; South African Women and Sport Foundation; Sport and Recreation Alliance UK; Sport Australia; Sport England; Tennis Australia; Tonga Football Association; Trinidad & Tobago Rugby Union (TTRU); Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport; UK Sport; UN Women; University of Chichester (UK); University of Girona; University of Lausanne; University of Texas at Austin; Women & Sport Botswana; Women in Sport – India; Women Sport Australia; WomenSport International; World Lacrosse; World Netball; and World Rugby.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME

Women in Sport Aotearoa will be running a full media programme across all four days of the IWG World Conference on Women & Sport. Pre-register your interest with Peta Forrest at peta@womeninsport.org.nz

BRIGHTON DECLARATION

Find out how to endorse and use this global treaty

INSIGHT HUB: RESEARCH & CASE STUDIES

Download useful materials to help support your work

IWG GLOBAL PROGRAMMES

Read about the work the IWG carries out globally

9th IWG WORLD CONFERENCE

Information coming soon