The world’s foremost gathering on gender equity in movement, physical activity, and sport is coming to the UK – and place-based working is stepping onto the global stage.
From 9-11 July 2026, the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport’s Global Summit will take place at the ICC in Birmingham. Held once every four years in a different host nation, the 2026 event is an incredible opportunity for UK delegates to join leaders, practitioners, researchers, and changemakers from across the globe.
Here is everything you need to know about the Summit, why it matters for our region and sector, and why you should be part of it.
If you are passionate about equity in movement, physical activity, and sport, the IWG Global Summit 2026 is for you.
Here is what you can expect as a delegate:
This global exchange of ideas is especially timely for us as we look to accelerate progress closer to home.
In fact, our region is already taking historic steps to champion these themes at a local level, making it the perfect moment to bring Liverpool City Region’s voice to the international table.
And that’s exactly what MSP, as the region’s Active Partnership, has the opportunity to do.
In the Liverpool City Region (LCR), we are committed to dismantling the barriers holding women and girls back from physical activity. Currently, only 56% of LCR women meet recommended weekly activity levels.
To tackle this gap, LCR Mayor Steve Rotheram and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham recently made a historic joint commitment. By signing the IWG’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, our combined authorities became the first place-based signatories in the treaty’s 30-year history.
This international treaty provides a powerful framework for a fairer system of sport. By connecting its principles to a local movement, we can bring momentum and international best practices back to our communities.
Through the Summit, we have the opportunity to tell LCR’s story on a global stage.
Alongside regional partners, we will be delivering a Shift Session that explores devolution as a tool to connect grassroots realities to senior decision-making and existing agendas.
It’s an approach that, ultimately, ensures our region’s top-down policies are shaped by real lived experience and need.
By unpacking the ripples that have followed our region’s signing of the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration, we can show the power of a regional movement that invites collaboration from all layers of the system.
Whether you’re one of our LCR partners, part of the Active Partnerships network, or someone whose work and energy aligns with the IWG Global Summit’s overarching mission, bring your voice and expertise to help make lasting change happen.
Let’s ensure place-based working is well represented as we shape the future of movement, physical activity, and sport for all women and girls.
Find out more about the event and secure your tickets:
Visit the IWG Global Summit WebsiteWeb Design by Twentytwo
