The 2013 International Forum was organised by SportAccord, RUMA, Ministry of Sport of the Russian Federation and the Government of St. Petersburg and was held at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.
There were many notable addresses. The Welcome speech was given by Mr. Vitaliy Mutko, Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation, while the opening speech was given by Mr. Marius Vizer, SportAccord President. The Key note address was given by Mr. Wilfried Lemke, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace.
IFMA was again very honoured to have its General Secretary invited as one of the panelists under the topic “Investing in Social Programmes: Strategies and Modus Operandi”. Alongside fellow panellists including Mr. Yang Jin Bang Executive Director of the Korea Taekwondo Association, Mr. Ramil Gabbasov CEO, Russian Union of Martial Arts, Dr. Igor Lanzoni Vice-President, Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) and Mr. Frédéric Pietruszka Secretary General, Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE), IFMA General Secretary Stephan Fox presented on the way we have successfully established social programmes and about the decision making processes and management plans. A road map of implementation was laid out including stakeholder definition, objectives, resources, monitoring and evaluation.
Under the topic “Using Combat Sport to Create Social Change: Moving from Vision to Action” moderated by Mr. Joel Bouzou, Founder and President, Peace and Sport, Presidents of Martial Arts and Combat Sports International Federations shared their vision on how sport could be used towards positive social change. How and why to engage in social responsibility projects? Moreover, they bore witness to the specificity of Martial Arts and Combat Sports’ philosophies and practices in addressing social issues. Panellists included Mr. Chungwon Choue President, World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), Mr. Peter Goldsbury President, International Aikido Federation (IAF), Mr. Nenad Lalovic President, International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), Mr. Vasily Shestakov President, International Sambo Federation (FIAS) and Mr. Marius Vizer President, International Judo Federation (IJF).
