IPC to host fourth Athletes' Forum in June 2025
Athlete representatives from across the Paralympic Movement are expected to gather in June 2025 in Germany. 23 Apr 2025
The fourth International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Forum will take place from 24-26 June 2025 in Bonn and Duisburg, Germany. Hosted by the IPC, the Forum will bring together athlete representatives from across the Paralympic Movement, providing an invaluable platform for discussing key issues facing the athlete community, sharing experiences, and networking.
The first of three days will be held in Bonn at the IPC’s headquarters, one of the most accessible office spaces in Germany, and will coincide with the inauguration of the new IPC Campus. The programme on days two and three will be held at the Sportschule Wedau campus in Duisburg, the venue of the first IPC Athletes’ Forum held in 2017.
Invited to the IPC Athletes’ Forum are athlete representatives from National Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Regional Organisations and International Organisations of Sport for the Disabled, as well as members of the IPC Athletes’ Council, Governing Board and IPC management team.
The 2025 Athletes’ Forum will mark the first meeting of athlete representatives with the newly elected members of the IPC Athletes’ Council. At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, six athlete representatives were elected to the Council, while in November 2024, Vladyslava Kravchenko and Yoomin Won were elected as Chair and second Vice-Chair, respectively, for a four-year term. Josh Dueck continues his term as first Vice-Chair.
Two-time Paralympian Dr. Mike Peters PLY, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are really excited to welcome athlete representatives from all over the world to Bonn and Duisburg this June for what will be three fantastic days of engagement and interaction at the Forum with fellow athletes, Board Members and Team IPC members. As athletes are at the heart of the Paralympic Movement, we are also delighted that these representatives will share in the excitement of this historic moment, the grand opening of our new home.
“Athletes in the Paralympic Movement, from the playground to the podium, consistently showcase strength in difference, a strength that fuels the transformational power of the Paralympic Movement. By bringing these athlete leaders together for three days of dedicated programming, we intend to support and advance their collective efforts to create positive change beyond the field of play. For this reason, we encourage all IPC members to send their athlete representative to this event.”
Vladyslava Kravchenko, Chair of the IPC Athletes’ Council, emphasised the significance of the Forum. She said: “The IPC Athletes’ Forum is a vital gathering for the athlete community and a great opportunity to learn from each other and share best practices across the Paralympic Movement.
“Whether we are meeting athletes from nations where the Movement is already thriving or athletes from nations where the Movement is still emerging, this Forum offers a platform for everyone to share their experiences and knowledge. By the end of the event, we hope all attendees will feel more connected, informed, and empowered.”
To ensure broad and diverse representation, the IPC will also deliver a Solidarity Programme to support athlete representatives attending the Forum, making it easier for more athletes to participate in these important discussions.
The inaugural IPC Athletes’ Forum took place in Duisburg in 2017, followed by subsequent forums in 2019 at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Training Centre in Colorado Springs and in 2023 at the National Training Centre in Icheon, Korea.
