International Paralympic Committee
Prize Category: Positive Energy Prize
Specific Area of Focus:Promotion of Harmony among Diverse Groups International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is awarded the LUI Che Woo Prize 2017 in the Positive Energy category, with the Specific Area of Focus on “Promotion of Harmony among Diverse Groups”.
Founded in 1989, the IPC has transformed itself from a small disability sports organisation into one of the world’s most widely respected sport organisations, making the Paralympic Games comparable to the Olympic Games. It is able to feature the world’s best Para athletes, who, with the recognition their accomplishments have gained, have gone on to become global heroes. The excellence of its work has resulted in massive infrastructure improvements for people with an impairment, substantially increased funding for Paralympic sports, and major improvements in athlete training and performance.
As the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) aspires to make for a more inclusive society for people with an impairment through Para sport.
Founded in Dusseldorf, Germany, in 1989 as an international non-profit organisation, the IPC is now based in Bonn, Germany, employing around 100 people.
The IPC executes and leads the direction of the Paralympic Movement, a global network of individuals and organisations brought together through their commitment to provide sporting opportunities for all Para athletes in the belief that it will contribute to a better world with equal opportunities for all.
The IPC’s vision is to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world. In trying to achieve this vision, the IPC and Paralympic Movement has adopted and follows four athlete focussed values: courage, determination, equality and inspiration.
As part of the IPC’s role, it supervises the organisation of the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games. The prestige of these events has grown and grown, and in recent years the Paralympic Games have developed into the world’s number one sport event for driving social inclusion. Watched by millions of spectators and billions of TV viewers around the world, the performances of Para athletes have acted as a catalyst to people changing their attitudes and perceptions of people with an impairment.
The IPC also serves as the International Federation for 10 sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates World Championships and other competitions.
Launched in 2012, the Agitos Foundation is the IPC’s development division and has become the leading global organisation for developing Para sport as a tool for changing lives and contributing to an inclusive society for all.
