New South Wales-based LGBTQ+ support and advocacy service ACON have announced the first Pride in Sport Summit will be held this September.
The Summit will bring together leaders, sporting icons and advocates to discuss how Australian codes can create more inclusive spaces for people of diverse sexuality and gender to participate in the national passtime.
The event will be held at the Australian College of Physical Education in Sydney’s Olympic Park, promising a comprehensive experience that celebrates inclusivity and offers unique learning opportunities.
The Summit will be an opportunity for delegates to engage in a range of sessions comprising workshops, panel discussions and keynote addresses, that will facilitate an exchange of perspectives that will contribute to shaping the future of LGBTQ inclusion in sport and identify areas where resources can be better allocated to drive impactful change.
Australian swimming icon Kieran Perkins OAM, who is also Australian Sports Commission CEO and an Olypmic legend, is heading up the roster alongside fellow guest speakers Australian Cricket icon and Pride in Sport Co-Patron Alex Blackwell, trans sport pioneer and Pride in Sport Ambassador Ricki Coughlan, and Australian Sports Commission Executive General Manager Bianca Broadhurst OLY.
ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said the Pride in Sport Summit provides an important opportunity for athletes, advocates, and sporting leaders and organisations to come together and explores issues, ideas, and best practice in inclusion.
“This ground-breaking event for Australian Sport offers a comprehensive experience that celebrates inclusivity and empowerment, and also provides unique opportunities for learning, collaboration, and resource assessment,” Parkhill said.
“Practice is continuing to shift significantly in the inclusion space within Sport across Australia, and we see that many in the industry are strengthening their commitment to improve inclusion efforts. By engaging in events such as the Pride in Sport Summit, they’re equipping themselves with ways by which they can build on their initiatives, knowledge, and awareness.
“The opportunities provided at this conference, along with the work done by Pride in Sport in general, goes such a long way in helping create more diverse and welcoming environments, and make real and substantial change within Australian sporting culture.”
Beau Newell, National Pride in Sport program manager added that the event is a game-changer, “revolutionising the sports landscape one stride at a time.”
“From community sporting clubs right up to National Sporting Organisations, the Australian Pride in Sport Summit has attracted a wide range of delegates with roles that are responsible for creating inclusive workplaces for their LGBTQ peers across the realm of sport and recreation, including CEOs, diversity and inclusion professionals, Pride Network Groups, volunteers, community leaders, and much more.
“Secure your spot today and help make sure that together, we can create a future where everyone can participate and thrive in sports, regardless of their identity or background.”
The Pride In Sport Summit is on 27 September at Australian College of Physical Education, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney. For more information about the conference, go to prideinsport.com.au/summit
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