Participation in the 28th TAFISA World Congress 2023

The TAFISA World Congress has traditionally been held on a biennial basis; however, it was for the second consecutive year this year since the previous one (held in Portoroz, Slovenia) was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives of organizations promoting Sport for All and physical activity, as well as researchers and practitioners, came together to participate in keynote speeches, discussions, case study sessions, and more.

At this congress, various sessions were held under the theme of 'More Together Than Ever,' and our Managing Director, Masanori Tamazawa (TAFISA Board Member), delivered a presentation introducing the activities of our foundation during the parallel session held on November 4^th.

1. Welcome Speech by Mr. Wolfgang Baumann, President of TAFISA (from Germany)

On behalf of TAFISA, Mr. Wolfgang Baumann expressed his gratitude to the organizing committee members and participants of this congress. He mentioned in his speech that we should maximize the power of sports, which could unite people in today's world that faces unstable international situations and environmental destruction. He also declared that Dusseldorf would serve as the center of the world's sports for the next four days during the congress, and TAFISA would continue to promote Sport for All.

2. Plenary Session: Keynote Speech by Prof. Keith George of John Moore Univ.（Board Member, TAFISA）

In his speech, he highlighted that although we are currently facing various challenges such as global population growth, ageing demographics, and the spread of COVID-19, it is essential to take advantage of this situation and approach various projects positively. He also pointed out, based on the experience of promoting “Active City” in Liverpool, U.K., the importance of collaborating among many organizations that form the TAFISA ecosystem and enhancing resilience.

3. House of Commons Debate

We applied a method of debate used by one of the houses of parliament in the United Kingdom and Canada to our discussion, in which participants were divided into proponents and opponents and engaged in discussions on topics presented by the speakers. Each group shared opposing views on the questions, “Does Sport foster social cohesion?” and “Does Sport for All have the obligation to support a global human rights movement？”.

■TAFISA（The Association For International Sport for All）

TAFISA is an international organization that promotes Sport for All and physical activity, with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. Through the promotion of sports and physical activity, TAFISA aims to enhance people's enjoyment of life, promote health, and foster social cohesion and community development. TAFISA has over 300 member organizations in more than 170 countries and regions. SSF became a member through TAFISA-JAPAN, which was established in 1992.

■TAFISA-JAPAN

TAFISA-JAPAN was established in 1992 by four affiliated organizations: The Japan Sport Association, the Japan Health Promotion & Fitness Foundation, the National Recreation Association of Japan, and The Sasakawa Sports Foundation to promote Sport for All in Japan. TAFISA-JAPAN has made various contributions to the activities of TAFISA, such as hosting the 1993 World Congress in Chiba Prefecture and the 2019 World Congress in Tokyo. TAFISA-JAPAN is currently operated by The Japan Sport Association, the Japan Health Promotion & Fitness Foundation, and The Sasakawa Sports Foundation.