Review of XIIth Congress International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls

The Congress of the International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW) has been held every four years since l953 and was hosted this year for the first time in Australia. Approximately 400 delegates from twenty-three countries attended the weeklong Congress which provided the opportunity to review the latest research and developments in professional curricula relating to physical education and sport for girls and women. The theme of the Congress – ‘Moving Ahead in Changing Times’ – was designed to stimulate and enthuse participants to look beyond the difficulties and inequities faced by girls and women in physical education and sport and to seek strategies and solutions to the challenges faced by them. The Congress format consisted of a plenary address each morning by a keynote speaker, followed by strand sessions on the six main areas of focus: physical education, aesthetics and dance, sport, recreation, health and fitness and sports medicine and sports science. Between six and eight papers were presented each day in each of the strands, providing a diversity of research interests and experiences. The physical education strand targeted issues in teaching and the challenges facing teachers of physical education in the future. Themes covered in the dance and aesthetics strand included the dance-making process, self image and appreciation of cultural differences. Social and cultural issues affecting participation were covered in the recreation strand as well as the recognition of women’s right to leisure and the role of leisure in the lives of girls and women. Within the sport strand, a range of initiatives were presented which aimed at encouraging girls and women of all ages and diverse cultures to incorporate sport into their lives. The sports medicine and sports science strand investigated the health and medical issues relating to women’s participation in sport in addition to providing educational material aimed at