Award-winning WCPT Congress arrives in Cape Town
The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) brings its biennial congress to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 2nd to 4th of July.
The award-winning congress is taking place in Africa for the first time and will welcome more than 2,000 physical therapists from 100 countries to Cape Town.
The South African Society of Physiotherapy (SASP) is hosting the event and guarantees a warm and friendly welcome to all, supported by nearly 200 volunteers, principally physiotherapy students from Cape Town and SASP members. The Physiotherapy Department at the University of Stellenbosch is also hosting the pre- and post-congress courses.
A WCPT Congress is where the world of physical therapy meets to share the latest research and practice advances, to debate hot topics and professional issues, to network and to learn from experiences across diverse settings around the world.
Alongside the scientific and educational programme a lively exhibition hall includes industry-wide support from a comprehensive selection of global and local companies.
The programme promises to engage delegates and speakers through a variety of session formats and learning styles. The Indaba, a new innovative meeting and inspiration zone, takes its lead from the traditions of meetings in South Africa and features, and includes among other things, a programme looking at global solutions for local problems.
Every day physical therapists make life-changing contributions to patient care and service delivery, as well as important contributions to health promotion and wellbeing. The WCPT Congress showcases the best in physical therapy research and practice to push the profession forward, which delivers direct economic and societal benefits.
WCPT and SASP are ensuring that the congress creates a lasting legacy, with a number of outreach activities. Fundraising has enabled 19 delegates from low resource countries to benefit from a bursary programme and attend the congress. SASP has collaborated with the WoW! (WesternCape on Wellness) initiative through health promotion activities out on the streets, and held a Brain Break Movement competition for primary schools to get children physically active.
WCPT and SASP have also partnered with the Shoes2Move! campaign, aiming to raise much-needed funds to buy new exercise shoes and engage people in community exercise sessions. Delegates and exhibitors will be encouraged to donate towards the campaign.
For further information (WCPT) please contact: Kiran Acharya,
[email protected], +44 7534904190
For further information (SASP) please contact: Magda Fourie,
[email protected], +27 833025365
Notes
About the World Confederation for Physical Therapy
Founded in 1951, the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is the sole international voice for physical therapy, representing more than 350,000 physical therapists worldwide through its 111 member organisations.
WCPT believes that every individual is entitled to the highest possible standard of healthcare. Its congress is one way of supporting this goal and was awarded the Singapore Tourism Award for best association conference organiser in 2016 for the WCPT Congress 2015, held in Singapore.
About the South African Society of Physiotherapy
The South African Society of Physiotherapy, a founding member of WCPT, represents more than 4,000 physiotherapists and is committed to furthering the physical therapy profession and improving the health of South Africans.
About WesternCape on Wellness (WoW!)
WesternCape on Wellness (WoW!) promotes healthy lifestyle actions to help people prevent, reduce and better self-manage common chronic diseases. Physical activity is at the heart of the initiative.
WoW! is a social health movement, enabling a move towards better personal, family, social and national health and wellness. WoW! trains volunteers from communities as champions to start Community Clubs, offering a range of physical activities for people to become healthier through regular and enjoyable movement.
"WoW! has definitely opened the door to the importance of physical activity in my life. It's become regular for me to squat, stretch and jump while going about my housecleaning ... it brings about so much fun and laughter to the house."
- Mymoena Kherekar, worksite champion
"My WoW! journey to wellness has given me new energy ... I have become more active, I have been maintaining a healthy body weight, and I'm making better food choices."
- Gillian Williams, WoW! club member
About the Shoes2Move! campaign
The Shoes2Move! campaign encourages donations to buy footwear for WoW! Club members. Donations make a real contribution to the wellbeing of others, allowing people to make lifestyle changes and move towards a healthier life.
All donations enable someone without resources to start exercising and become healthier, allowing people to train and participate in a Fun Walks, runs, or marathons. Every donation makes a direct and positive impact on health.
