WHO announced as co-sponsor of 9th ISPAH Congress in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, The Gulf Observer: The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) today announced that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has become the official co-sponsor of the 9th ISPAH Congress taking place in Abu Dhabi on 23rd-26th October.

With an informative and engaging schedule of workshops, speeches, and sessions, led by local, regional and global experts, the Congress will drive impactful conversations focused on encouraging the adoption of physical activity across all age groups in society. It will also explore opportunities for collaboration to help achieve a shared vision of a healthy and active society.

The WHO’s co-sponsorship of the event reinforces the importance of physical activity as a public health priority and its contribution to reducing the burden of non-communicable disease (NCD) and improving daily functioning, mental health and wellbeing.

Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, said, “The 9th edition of the ISPAH Congress is a landmark event for Abu Dhabi’s Public Health agenda as it sets the stage for effective discussions on the role of exercise and physical activity in fostering healthy societies and promoting preventative health.

“We are honoured to have the World Health Organisation as a co-sponsor of the event. Their valuable participation and endorsement reinforce our vision for a healthy Abu Dhabi and is testament to the progress and impact that Abu Dhabi is creating on the public health world stage.”

Dr, Fiona Bull, Physical Activity Unit Head, World Health Organisation, said, “WHO is pleased to co-sponsor this Congress as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of physical activity in the Eastern Mediterranean region and raise the attention of not only the health benefits but also the wider policy ‘win win win’ of increasing participation levels by people of all ages and abilities. This can be through sport, and fitness or exercise, but also through the many other ways we be active as part of every day.

By bringing together researchers, practitioners and policy makers, we hope the ISPAH conference will strengthen the scientific networks and research activity in UAE, regionally and globally and, through sharing knowledge and experiences, build capacity in the practical implementation of policy promoting physical activity locally and globally to help more people to start and stay more active”.

Professor Jasper Schipperijn, President of ISPAH, said, “ISPAH is delighted that the WHO are co-sponsoring the 2022 Congress in Abu Dhabi. The programme has been carefully designed to align with the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity to inform researchers, practitioners and policymakers on the latest scientific developments on effective approaches to increasing population levels of physical activity.

“This will be the first time that the ISPAH Congress will take place in the Eastern Mediterranean region. We are working with the WHO and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre to raise physical activity on the agenda across the region, to support scaled-up action on physical activity”.

The ISPAH Congress is the largest physical activity and health Congress in the world, and ISPAH is widely recognised as the leading global society of researchers and practitioners focused on promoting physical activity across the life course. This year’s Congress will be taking place under the theme “Making Every Move Count”.