Iran NPC, Tehran- The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially
inaugurated its new headquarters, the IPC Campus, in Bonn, Germany, on 24 June
2025 marking a major milestone for the organisation since its establishment in
1989.
The IPC moved into its new
headquarters a year ago, following five years of extensive renovations that
made the site one of the most accessible office spaces in Germany.
Among the 250 attending guests for
the inauguration were Federal, State and City politicians, members of the IPC
Governing Board, Para athletes, members of Team IPC and other distinguished
guests. An official opening was conducted by IPC President Andrew Parsons, IPC
CEO Dr Mike Peters PLY, Minister President of the State of North
Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst, and Deputy Mayor of Bonn Nicole Unterseh.
Located next to the river Rhine and
adjacent to Bonn’s former parliamentary district and the UN Campus, the IPC
Campus is one of the most accessible office spaces in Germany following
extensive renovations led by the State Government of North-Rhine-Westphalia to
the former State Representation building.
The Campus includes a fully
accessible 170-seat auditorium, 157 fully accessible workstations, six
elevators, accessible bathrooms, and mini kitchens throughout the building on
every floor, automatic doors for ease of access, and tactile paving – including
throughout the garden - for those with a vision impairment. The building is
also the first building in Germany to offer indoor navigation via a smartphone
app, making the Campus even more accessible for employees and visitors.
The IPC is the global governing body
of the Paralympic Movement and was founded on 22 September 1989 in Düsseldorf,
Germany. Under the leadership of its founding President, Dr Bob Steadward, the
organisation established its first headquarters in 1999 at Adenauerallee
212–214 - opposite Bonn’s Palais Schaumburg, the former official residence of
the German Chancellor.
At that time, the IPC employed 10
full-time staff. Today, the organisation has grown to over 130 staff members
from 47 countries, with 16 per cent identifying as persons with disabilities
and over half of the team comprising of women.
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