Spark and SkyCity officially partner with Women in Sport Aotearoa, as registrations open for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport
Spark and Spark Sport join as ‘Official Technology and Broadcast Partner’, to enhance the virtual experience for global and local participants.
SkyCity joins as ‘Official Hotel and Entertainment Partner’, to enhance the in-person experience for those visiting Auckland.
Secure your early bird registration now for the world’s largest gathering to advance gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity.
Women in Sport Aotearoa is delighted to announce major partnerships with Spark and SkyCity, just as two registration types go on sale for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport next May.
The ‘Inspire Pass’ will offer an outstanding virtual experience accessible from almost anywhere in the world via a world-class online conferencing system. This Pass will offer live content, international speakers and storytellers, and interactivity to support collaboration and networking across borders.
The ‘InspirePLUS Pass’ will be the best of both worlds. It will give participants access to a full hybrid experience, seamlessly weaving together content delivered in-person, with that delivered virtually. It will also connect in-person attendees in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, with online attendees globally.
The online conferencing system, and its associated virtual platform, will launch shortly and be filled with rich interactive content in the lead-up to and beyond the event itself, which will take place from 5 – 8 May 2022. Content from the event will be streamed live and will be recorded and re-posted on the platform immediately, for repeat viewing via both Pass types through until 30 September 2022.
Both Passes are on-sale today. The ‘Inspire Pass’ virtual experience is expected to be snapped up all around the world straight away, with a quick switch to the ‘InspirePLUS Pass’ hybrid in-person and virtual experience easily done as soon as more movement is allowed across the New Zealand border. New Zealanders are urged to grab the ‘InspirePLUS Pass’ hybrid registration at Earlybird prices now.
Spark and its online sport streaming service, Spark Sport, have joined as ‘Official Technology and Broadcast Partner’ of the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport, and will be working closely with Women in Sport Aotearoa to enhance the virtual experience offered across both the Pass types. Spark Sport will support the broadcasting of key content, to ensure world’s best thinking on gender equity and equality in sport and physical activity is shared locally and globally for maximum impact.
Spark is New Zealand’s largest telecommunications and digital services company, offering mobility and digital connectivity services including 5G wireless technology, personal and business mobile and home phone solutions, broadband, streaming and online sport subscription services via Spark Sport.
SkyCity (Auckland Precinct) has also joined as ‘Official Hotel and Entertainment Partner’ of the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport and will also be working closely with Women in Sport Aotearoa, with a focus on enhancing the in-person experience for those on the ‘InspirePLUS Pass’.
SkyCity is the largest tourism, leisure and entertainment group in New Zealand. It offers award-winning hotel accommodation at The Grand by SkyCity and SkyCity Hotel in Auckland. It also offers a range of entertainment activities, including the Sky Tower, plus multiple bars, restaurants and cafes.
It will proudly host in-person participants across the four days, offering competitive hotel packages and discounts right across the Auckland Precinct. It will also be a ‘home away from home’ for global VIPs flying in to speak at the conference (borders pending), and the hotel and operations base for the IWG Global Executive board and the local Women in Sport Aotearoa board and delivery team.
Rachel Froggatt, Chief Executive of Women in Sport Aotearoa said: “It is timely to be launching registrations for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport today, against the back-drop of an Olympic Games that has inspired much discussion around the equity and equality for women in sport. Today is the culmination of 18 months’ hard work by an operations and programming whānau (family) numbering more than 200 global and local experts from 30 countries across five continents.
We’re thrilled to welcome Spark, Spark Sport and SkyCity to our whānau as we launch our virtual and hybrid Passes. Their expertise will be of enormous benefit to our mahi (work), as we deal with the challenge of COVID-19 in bringing our global community of action together to advance change.
More than ever, women and girls need positive change. IWG 2022 will be a live conversation. But it will also be a moment to share, to learn, to collaborate and to create practical, implementable plans. Together, we will design solutions that hit the ongoing challenges we have identified, head-on.”
Pointedly, both Spark and SkyCity are also partnering with Women in Sport Aotearoa across all of its other domestic activity, which runs all year-round. This is focussed on transforming society through leadership, advocacy and research, to ensure that all women and girls gain equity of opportunity to participate, compete and build careers in play, active recreation and sport in Aotearoa New Zealand.
It runs annual programmes like Whanake o te Kōpara for young women’s leadership and the popular Captains Lunch, and it delivers a range of other projects to share evidence and advocate for change.
Jolie Hodson, Chief Executive of Spark, and 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Champion said: “We are thrilled to support the important kaupapa (purpose) of the IWG World Conference on Women & Sport.
“Through Spark Sport we’ve made a conscious effort to back women in sport, and in partnership with New Zealand Cricket, we have worked to build a pipeline of female commentators at an international and domestic level. To help grow the viewership and reach of women’s cricket we produced and broadcasted more White Ferns national team and female Super-Smash T20 matches than ever before, and we’re excited to be the exclusive New Zealand broadcaster for the Rugby World Cup playing in 2022, where we will showcase the world’s best women rugby players.
“The IWG World Conference will be a great opportunity for us to keep learning how to improve equality in sport, so I encourage Aotearoa New Zealand to get involved in the conversation.”
Michael Ahearne, Chief Executive of SkyCity Entertainment Group said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Women in Sport Aotearoa for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport and building on our goal of empowering women’s sport in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“As the official Hotel and Entertainment partner of the conference, we can’t wait to showcase our premium accommodation and famous SkyCity hospitality to international guests and VIP’s from around the world.
“The IWG World Conference is a major event for New Zealand and for Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, and as a strong supporter of women’s sport it is an honour for SkyCity to be on board.”
Two experience Passes are now available for the 8th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport.
Visit www.iwgwomenandsport.org/world-conference today to find out more and register now!
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Inspire Pass |
InspirePLUS Pass |
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An outstanding virtual experience accessible from almost anywhere in the world. Live content, world class speakers and full interactivity. |
If you can be with us in Auckland, New Zealand, get the best of both worlds with a hybrid experience, in-person and virtually. |
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Don't know if you can travel yet? Not to worry, you can switch between the Inspire Pass and InspirePLUS Pass at any time. |
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Earlybird (until 31 March 2022) |
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Band 1: NZD $675 | USD $470 Band 2: NZD $400 | USD $280 Band 3: NZD $300 | USD $210 Student: NZD $150 | USD $105 |
Band 1: NZD $875 | USD $610 Band 2: NZD $525 | USD $365 Band 3: NZD $400 | USD $280 Student: NZD $175 | USD $120 |
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Standard (until 8 May 2022) |
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Band 1: NZD $900 | USD $630 Band 2: NZD $625 | USD $435 Band 3: NZD $525 | USD $365 Student: NZD $150 | USD $105 |
Band 1: NZD $1,100 | USD $765 Band 2: NZD $750 | USD $520 Band 3: NZD $625 | USD $435 Student: NZD $175 | USD $120 |
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Pass prices are set in accordance with World Bank economy rankings. Purchases will be in New Zealand Dollars. US Dollar figures are estimates only. Registration prices exclude NZ Goods and Services tax (GST). Visit www.iwgwomenandsport.org to see which Pass you should select and for Terms & Conditions. |
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About Women in Sport Aotearoa
Women in Sport Aotearoa, Ngā Wāhine Hākinakina o Aotearoa, exists to transform society through leadership, advocacy and research, ensuring that all women and girls gain equity of opportunity to participate, compete and build careers in play, active recreation and sport in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Its strategic vision is to see ‘women and girls valued, visible and influential in sport’. It is working toward this through delivery of insight and research, change leadership, advocacy campaigns, speaking engagements and events like the Captains Lunch and the Sport NZ Women + Girls Summit.
It works across Aotearoa New Zealand and is currently global delivery agent for the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport Secretariat & Conference 2018 - 2022, with the 8th IWG World Conference taking place in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Online between 5 – 8 May 2022. The conference is being staged by WISPA and its event logistics partner, The Conference Company.
Women in Sport Aotearoa is a charity. Its funding comes from a mix of Grants and Trusts, Donations, Fundraising, Gifts and Commercial Partnerships. Visit the website to learn more or DONATE NOW.
About the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport
The IWG is the world’s largest network dedicated empowering women and girls and advancing sport. Established in 1994, the IWG advocates for gender equity in sport and physical activity year-round, partnering with key agencies, including UN Women and UNESCO. It developed and remains guardian of the Brighton plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on Women & Sport, which now has almost 600 signatories, and delivers the well-respected IWG Progress Report at the quadrennial IWG World Conference.
The IWG administrative function moves every four years and is currently in Aotearoa New Zealand. It was recently announced that the IWG Secretariat and World Conference 2022 – 2026 quadrennial will be hosted by the United Kingdom, with the Sport and Recreation Alliance taking over as global delivery agency on 1 October 2022. The Secretariat will be hosted in London and the 9th IWG World Conference on Women & Sport will take place in Birmingham in mid-2026.
Follow ‘IWG Women & Sport’ on:
MEDIA ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME
Women in Sport Aotearoa will be running a full media programme across all four days of the IWG World Conference on Women & Sport. Pre-register your interest with Peta Forrest, details below.