2019 Conference

According to the World Economic Forum, the BRICS economies are the most competitive among all other countries in the coming years and are distinguished by their significant regional and global influence. The health and wellness of people is in the top agenda of these governments for connecting the fast economy growth and better quality of life. Therefore, the BRICS Council of Exercise and Sports Science (BRICSCESS) was founded in recognition of the need to address the specific concerns of BRICS in respect of the health and wellness of the people in the regions.

The BRICSCESS 2019 Conference as well as the 1st World Congress of Future Leader/Volunteer (WCFLV 2019), was presented in Cape Town, South Africa from 10-13 October 2019. This was a first for Africa and hosted by the North-West University. South Africa was also the second country in the BRICS family, to present this BRICSCESS World Conference, with the first conference that was presented in December 2017 in Santos in Brazil.  For the first time in history, BRICSESS and the South African Sports Medicine Association (SASMA) presented a joint Congress with the theme for the conference: “Holistic Health, Sports Science and Sustainability: The Way Forward”.

A total of 26 keynote and invited speakers from 23 countries in the world presented at the BRICSCESS conference.  Most of them top experts in the world w.r.t sports medicine and sports science. The conference was opened by the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport in the Western Cape, her honourable Anroux Marais.

One of the main sponsors of the BRICSCESS Conference, the department of Sport and Recreation in the Western Cape, had a special two hour parallel session on Saturday 12 October 2019.  There were two invited speakers at this session. The first one was the chief director of Sport and Recreation at DCAS, Dr Lyndon Bouah with his presentation: “An analysis of the implementation of the national sport and recreation plan in the Western Cape”. The 2nd invited speaker was Prof Ian Culpan from New Zealand whom presented on: “Olympic education or Olympism education within physical education, health and sport context: adding educative and social value through culturally relevant pedagogies”.
The conference was a huge success and the three and a half day conference was interweaved by thought-provoking group sessions with colleague excellent presentations, interaction and impromptu dialogue exchange in formal and informal settings. Many of the international guests commented and were full of praise for this fantastic event and they said it was an experience that will live in their memories for many years to come. Hopefully this was an event that changed the lives of the people of Africa for the better.

Professor Steve Kopecky who is the Immediate Past President of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology and is currently a Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic in the USA, was one of the excellent keynote speakers at the conference. His presentation was on: Physical Activity and Benefits on Reduction in Chronic Disease.

The keynote at the future leader conference which was held just prior to BRICSCESS 2019 conference, was Prof. Mingkai Chin from Hong Kong/China, which is the Founder and President of the Foundation For Global Community Health (GCH). He is also the Founding President of BRICSCESS and the Co-Founder & Former President of the Asian Council of Exercise & Sports Science (ACESS). His presentation was on the Future Leader/ Volunteer (FLV): “Changing Agents” In Global Promotion Strategies of Holistic Health and Well-Being.

There were also 4 workshops that were presented at BRICSCESS 2019 conference, and the workshops were very popular. Especially the ones presented by Prof. Serap INAL from Turkey on: Assessment of Posture in Schools New York State Posture Evaluation Test: Practical Application and the one by Tom Root from the USA on: How do Corporations, Governments, and Universities Work Together to Empower Children to Realize the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Goal Agenda?, were very popular.

One of the founders of the BRICSCESS Organization, Prof Hans de Ridder from South Africa, was elected the new president instead of Prof Mingkai Chin from Hong Kong/China who will act as the immediate past-president of the organization. The new Secretary-General instead of Prof Hans, is Prof. Ricardo Uvinha from Brazil. They will lead the organization for the next 4 years as the Executive Committee with the other 2 founders, Professor Gulshan Khanna from India and  Professor Maria Abulkhanova from Russia and also the rest of the board and international advisors. 

Important Documents

Photos