The director and the members of the International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW), who are visiting Islamic Republic of Iran in order to hold The 2nd IAPESGW Regional Symposium for Women Empowerment in Sport by Alzahra University and the Ministry of Sports and Youth, met with the University’s Chancellor Dr. Ensiyeh Khazali and the director of international Academic Collaborations’ Office Dr. S. Susan Marandi. In this meeting Dr. Shojaei (Dean of Physical Education Faculty), Dr. Nazarali and Dr. Daneshfar (deputies of the Dean of the faculty), and Dr. Hanachi (deputy of IAC Office) were also present.
Dr. Khazali welcomed the guests and wished them to gain whatever they hope for in Iran, mentioned that holding this symposium in Iran will lead to have better future for sports and Iranian women.
After that Dr. Rosa Lopez de D’Amico the director of IAPESGW thanked the university fir its hospitality and then introduced the Association. She mentioned that the Association was first established in 1941 and its mission and aim is to improve the sport situation in women all over the world and also added the association would love to expand women participation in sport in sports and athleticism.
Dr. Koushki, the Iranian member of the board and Shiraz University Faculty Member, also expressed her gratitude from Alzahra University for holding such an event, hoped to sciential women sport in Iran. The board members of this Association are chosen among 14 countries.
Dr. Keh Chin faculty member of Taiwan National University in Educational Theories of Physical Education mentioned that in the last ten years he has done many researches in women sports. Qualitative and quantitative improvements in women participation in sport activities in public places and devotion of sport complex to women in some specific times of the day is one of our important aims.
Dr. Maria Beatriz Ferreira from Brazil and faculty member named some of her researches in Indian Sports, Disabled Sports and Women Sports. She has done many studies in the culture of many nations of Sports and Physical Education.
Dr. Saham Al Avami from Qatar who now lives in Austria also mentioned Security and Health in Athletic Sports as his field of research and indicated that the world program of Save a Dream is aiming towards maintaining and improving the health and safeness of sport fields and guarding the athletic values in national and international competitions.
Mark Cloes, Belgium University Faculty Member introduced himself as a researcher in Educational Theories of Physical Education.
Dr. Khazali emphasized on investing on women’s health and exercises. She also mentioned that healthy women are the pivot of a health family: “Making and planning laws for women sport and exercising should be harmonic with rules, traditions and beliefs of different nations. Women should participate in international sports competitions according to their beliefs and also the sport competitions for women of Islamic countries should be convenient to their beliefs in order to preserve their hijab and the Federations should support them. This was a successful experience in Iran and has made Iranian sportswomen to improve drastically to show their abilities and capabilities in their management and execution skills. Alzahra University has more than 10 thousands students studying in 10 faculties and research centers have won in a lot of sport, scientific and cultural competitions. All the professors and trainers of Physical Education faculty are women and the students can do sports ad learn about Physical Education in a proper situation filled with Islamic values and beliefs.” She also proposed a joint journal entitled as “Women Sport in Islamic World” in order to publish the researches done in the field.
Rosa Lopez de D'Amico, the Director of the Association, mentioned that the Association has published two books in the field of Physical Education, “I believe that Muslim Women participate more in sports competitions than the other groups of women in other countries.”
Dr. Shojaei, the dean of Physical Education faculty also welcomed the guests and thanked the Ministry of Sports and Youth for this opportunity. She also mentioned that before the revolution, Iranian women were doing sports too but the important feature of Iran after the revolution is that they had more chances to show off their abilities. She emphasized that the number of women doing sports; players, trainers and referees are more than women in any other Muslim Country and added that we can educate international trainers and referees.
Dr. Martin Holzweg the deputy of the Association from Germany emphasized: “My country had invested a lot of money in the sports of the premiers and competitions in 1970s and 1980s but today they prefer to invest in the public sports. He also mentioned the availability of sport equipment in the parks and the fact that women can use them easily, “if this equipment helps to make women do more sports, it will be the best and we do not need to emphasize on athleticism.”
Dr. Khazali approved this point: “this is exactly what we seek to do and there is no emphasize on athleticism but the sport federations would make the grounds for those who want to follow sport competitions. She also mentioned the parks for women use in Tehran and some big cities and added that these parks would let women to benefit from the sun and equipment.
At the end of the meeting some gifts of Iranian handicrafts were given to the guests.