Founded in 1923 in Brussels, the aim of the Federation is to promote the development of a broad range of activities in the fields of Education, Physical Education and Sports Education, Sport for All, Fitness and Health, Recreation, and the use and protection of the Outdoors, for people of all ages and in all countries of the World, and to foster and contribute to international cooperation in these fields. The FIEP is an independent, non-governmental organization ready to collaborate with all individuals, institutions and organizations in the pursuit of this broad aim. The Federation provides a network of contacts and a means of communication and exchange amongst individuals and organizations. It has ‘Recognised Organization’ status with the international Olympic Committee. It has close working relationships with the International Counsil of Sport Science and Physical Education, Arab Confederation of Sport ,L’Union Arabe de l’Education Physique et du Sport and another international organisation . The broad range of events, projects and other activities organized or supported by the Federation concern the scientific, technical, teaching and management aspects of physical education, sport, physical recreation, fitness and health. The principal means of action of the FIEP are: Publication of the FIEP Bulletin, which has appeared in different forms for more than 75 years. Organization and support of various activities, including: Regional and ad-hoc Commissions. Practical Courses, Congresses and Symposia, Exchange Travel by both individuals and groups. Research, documentation and information exchange with other national and international bodies . The FIEP network of National Delegates, Committees and members extends into more one hundred and twenty countries and this number is growing as new countries apply for membership.
The idea to create an international Physical Education organization appeared for the first time during the International Congress of Physical Education in Paris (France), which took place between August 30th and September 6th 1900. A ‘Permanent International Physical Education Technical Commission‘ was created then, with some of the great personalities in the Physical Education world at the time, among which were: Mosso (Italy) as the President, Demeny (France) Fosseprez (Belgium), Cabezas (Chile), Kier (Denmark), Chryssafis (Greece), Tongres (Sweden). Delegates from 16 countries participated in the commission, whose objectives were aimed at the qualification of university faculty members. The “Institute Internationale d’Education Physique” was created later, during the Odensée International Congress, between July 7th and 10th, 1911.
The goals of this institute were: a) To make progress in the Physical Education Science and its practical applications, concentrating results of studies and experiments carried out in the world and providing directions for new investigations. b) To spread among the people culture the principle that Physical Education must cooperate with Intellectual and Moral Education.
The Institute actions were obviously interrupted during World War I. Nevertheless, the Physical Education internationalization gains new life and emerges again in 1923, with the creation of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique Educative, F.I.G.E. That very act it considered to be FIEP’s cornerstone. The F.I.G.E was officially organized on July 2nd, 1923, during Brussels International Congress. That new institution gathered Federations, Leagues and Organizations from several countries. Its first president was General LEFEBURE (Belgium).
In 1924, LEFEBURE transferred the presidential office to Colonel EIMAR NERMAM (Sweden), who remained in the position until 1935. In February 1931, the Federation published its first Journal issue, which turned out to be one of the first specialized magazines dedicated to Physical Education in the world. It is still published nowadays. In 1935, Major JOSEPH G. THULIN (Sweden) was elected President, and his mandate lasted until 1958. In the Istanbul General Assembly l, during the World Congress held from the 2nd to the 9th of August, 1953, Thulin’s proposal was accepted and the Federation has its name changed to Fédération Internationale d’Education Physique – FIEP.
In Brussels (Belgium) General Assembly take took place on the 4th and 5th of July, 1958, President Thulin resigns because of his age and Prof. Dr. Antonio Leal D’Oliveira (Portugal) takes office and remains in the position until 1970. By the end of the 60s FIEP’s relevance in the world scenery was an encouragement to write the FIEP – PHYSICAL EDUCATION WORLD MANIFESTO, which was made public in 1970. That Manifesto laid the concepts of Physical Education and guided its paths worldwide after being translated into every existing language.
Dr. PIERRE SEURIN (France) was FIEP President from 1970 to 1983. He achieved great development for the institution, which extended its scoped of action throughout all the continents by settling delegations in more than one hundred countries, and by promoting a great number of events. His administration consolidated the action of Fédération Internationale D’Education Physique in the fields of Physical Education, Sports for All, and Scientific Activities.
In 1984, after Dr. Seurin’s death, Prof. JOHN C. ANDREWS (England) was elected World President and remained in that position until January 2000. He consolidated FIEP as a world organization that attends the highest number of countries, accomplished great impulse to the institution in Latin America, created the Prince Faisal Scientific Prize and also strengthened ties with Arabian countries.
In Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) General Assembly, held during the FIEP / 2000 –Physical Education World Congress that took place from the 9th to the 13th of January, 2000, Prof. Dr. Manoel José Gomes Tubino (Brazil) was elected World President. During that event, the FIEP 2000- PHYSICAL EDUCATION WORLD MANIFESTO was launched. After 30 years, the new document expands the concept of Physical Education after having understood that it is a right of all.
FIEPS World
