Delegates from nearly 200 National Federations have gathered in Porto, Portugal to honour President Dr Ary S. Graça F°’s legacy and shape the future of volleyball
The 39th FIVB World Congress officially commenced on Saturday with an inspiring opening speech from FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F°. It marked one of his final addresses as the head of the global Volleyball Family.
Nearly 200 National Federations have gathered in Porto for the 39th World Congress
President Graça, who has served as FIVB President for 12 years, received a glowing reception from the global Volleyball Family following his opening speech, which outlined his legacy under the mandate of “Innovation and Opportunity.” A special video message from IOC President Thomas Bach praised the growth of the sport during President Graça’s tenure and highlighted the strength of the volleyball community.
IOC President Thomas Bach had high praise for FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça F° and the global Volleyball Family
The President of the Portuguese Volleyball Federation and Portugal’s Secretary of State for Sport also addressed the delegates, welcoming them to the region for the prestigious occasion.
To find out more about these speeches, click on the links below!
fivb-president-dr-ary-s-graca-f-opens-the-39th-world-congress-as-head-of-global-volleyball-family
To watch the highlights of the day, click on the link below!
The Congress followed with a speech from the President of the Portuguese National Olympic Committee Dr Artur Lopes who discussed the power of sport in driving peace. He stated: “Only in sport and with sport can we achieve what we desire so much for our world…peace.”
He added; “Sport is a social good and that must be fully integrated.”
President of the Portuguese National Olympic Committee Dr Artur Lopes reflected on the power of sport in bringing people together
Following that, Executive Director of the FIVB Volleyball Foundation Elizaveta Bracht, FIVB General Director Fabio Azevedo, Volleyball Foundation Board Member and Secretary Charles Joye, and the FIVB Controller Olivier Zysset took to the stage to provide a comprehensive update on the work the Foundation is doing to uplift communities worldwide and serve the world through volleyball.
Thereafter, a series of key reports and presentations commenced, including the 2022-2023 FIVB Financial Reports presented by FIVB Controller Olivier Zysset, Finance Director Yves Eymann, Partner Audit and Assurance Deloitte SA Annick Jaton, and FIVB Finance Commission’s Essa Hamzah Al-Failakawi. These reports detailed financial performance for 2022-2023, external audits, discharge of the Board of Administration and the appointment of internal auditors for 2024-2028.
President Graça and Fabio Azevedo also presented the organisation’s investment strategy and outlined the FIVB budgets for 2025-2026.
In addition, presentations from FIVB Head of Legal Steve Bock and Legal Commission President Rogerio Oliveira highlighted advancements in good governance. In what was a clear demonstration of the transparency and good governance principles implemented throughout President Graça’s mandate, it was announced that the FIVB’s governance assessment score, evaluated by the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), has nearly doubled in strength over the last 12 years.
FIVB Head of Legal Steve Bock highlighted the FIVB’s significant achievements in good governance
The Congress also featured inspiring updates on the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment and Development programme, an initiative introduced to help national teams and athletes reach their full potential and achieve their goals on the national stage. The FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Commission President Vladimir Grbić, President of the Development Commission Mushtaque Mohammed, FIVB Head of Technical and Development Steve Tutton, and FIVB Manager of Technical and Development Hitesh Malhotra highlighted the transformational work carried out across 201 countries.
The Congress also heard from the coordinators and beneficiaries of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment and Development programme
Recipients of the Volleyball Empowerment programme also shared their unique experiences, showcasing the transformative impact of FIVB support in their respective countries. Speakers included representatives from all over the world, including Cape Verde, Chile, Czech Republic, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Ukraine and Canada.
Later in the afternoon, CEO of Volleyball World Finn Taylor provided a comprehensive update on the commercial success of Volleyball World, highlighting its role in building a “global hub for volleyball” with a “connected community of over 20 million fans”. Mr Taylor also referenced ongoing discussions with possible hosts of the 2029 and 2031 FIVB World Championships. The Congress then received updates on the hosts of some of the major upcoming events, including the FIVB Women’s World Championship 2025 in Thailand, the FIVB Men’s World Championship 2025 in the Philippines, and the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Australia.
Volleyball World has connected over 20 million fans worldwide
As the Congress moves into its second day, delegates will cast their votes to decide the future leadership of the FIVB, including the election of a new President and several key governance positions, such as the Board of Administration and representatives.
For live updates, tune in via the relevant links below:
FIVB World Congress 2024 – Day 2 (16 November) https://youtube.com/live/7fyRcPEyrvk?feature=share
Global Volleyball Summit (17 November) https://youtube.com/live/kGmPv0esiBw?feature=share
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