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| Current Issues | No.65 June 2013 |

IAKS 50th Anniversary
Arch, Carlos Vera Guardia

The International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) is the peak international association in the field of sports and leisure facilities. It is recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and many other international organisations. IAKS has more than 500 members in almost 100 countries and is considered the most important international association in the field of sports and leisure facilities.

In October 2015, IAKS will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in conjunction with its World Congress in Cologne, Germany. A special programme will be conducted in conjunction with the Cologne Fair with invitations extended to many international sports organisations.

Over the years, IAKS has contributed to the conceptual, technical and social development of sports and leisure facilities throughout the world, offering technical advice, organising seminars, workshops, the IOC-IAKS Award, IPC-IAKS Award, and the important international Congress every two years.

It is important to mention that the contribution of IAKS throughout the years to the development of sports has been widely recognised and is not limited to just prestigious sports facilities but it has reached the most humble recreation and sports facilities in densely populated areas of developing countries.

Cooperating with ICSSPE, IAKS had the opportunity to organise the sessions on Sports Facilities for the Pre-Olympic Congresses in Malaga (1992), Dallas (1996) and Thessaloniki (2004) with great success and massive participation by specialists and sports leaders.

Between 1970 and 1985, IAKS was part of the German programme to support the Latin American countries in sports facility development, especially in Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.

In 1971 and 1972, International IAKS Seminars were organised in Lima, Peru and Maracaibo, Venezuela in collaboration with Universities, ports organisations and Municipalities in those regions.

In 1976, IAKS contributed with the only Graduate Programme of Sports Facilities ever taught in Latin America, a one year specialisation programme, at the University of Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

At the Pan American Congresses on Physical Education of 1989 in Guatemala, 1991 in Colombia and 1993 in Costa Rica, IAKS played an important role in the special interest area of Sports and Leisure Facilities.

Every year, IAKS organises technical workshops and seminar in Europe in different subjects of interest.

IAKS has Sections in several countries in which there are several members interested in promoting the field of sports and leisure facilities, with one of them being a Regional Section for the Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

The biennial Congresses in Cologne present the latest information on sports and leisure facility development throughout the world, with one of the important sessions the Developing Countries Forum. This is devoted to that important group of countries that in fact represent a majority of the world’s population.

The IOC-IAKS and IPC-IAKS Awards recognise the importance of sports and leisure facilities in the development of sports and wellbeing and better health of the general population through physical and leisure activities.

The Awards were conceived to recognise not only aesthetic characteristics of different categories of facilities but considers their environmental, social and economic sustainability and quality of services provided as well as satisfaction of users and owners.

For the 50th Anniversary Congress in 2015, a very special programme is being organised with an Opening Ceremony to which many International Sports Organisations and dignitaries will be invited. This will be followed by a series of conferences, an exhibition of award winning facilities and a Closing Ceremony with special recognition of institutions and individuals to be made.

IAKS recognises its importance in the development of sports and is constantly trying to contribute to the creation of better facilities, trying to help in the whole complex process of providing the most adequate amenities for people of every country and region in the world, sufficiently considering their culture, environment and socio-economic realities and conditions.

Contact

Arch. Carlos Vera Guardia
6901 W. 84 St. Apt. 238. Bloomington
55438. MN.
USA
Email: veraguardia@hotmail.com

http://www.icsspe.org/