The International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education organised in co-operation with Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior and with the support of Otto Bock HealthCare the hands-on seminar “Rehabilitation through Adapted Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth Affected by the Tsunami in Southeast Asia“. It was successfully held in Bangkok, where about 100 participants from 12 different countries met on October 28 to 30, 2006, to learn, discuss and practise concrete knowledge and best practice examples for rehabilitation through sport and adapted physical activity, instructed by specialists in these fields.

„Recently the amount of natural catastrophes and incidents where people get seriously injured seems to be on the increase", said ICSSPE-President Gudrun Doll-Tepper at the opening ceremony. „We are aware, that help from all of us is needed not only for the people in the Tsunami Region but for many regions in the world, e.g. the Hurricane affected regions in the Southern USA, Cuba and Mexico or the earthquake areas in Pakistan and India. All of us involved in sport science and physical education are bound to explore what means we have to contribute to emergency aid and what kind of sustainable programmes we can offer.“ Further speakers also affirming that opinion were Mr. Ernst Wilzek, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Germany, Dr. Charuaypon Torranin, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Thailand and Holger Michael, German Embassy Thailand.

In the following two days the participants assembling of practitioners in the fields of medicine, sport, physical education, physiotherapy as well as social workers, teachers, administrative staff, researchers and supporters in the Tsunami affected region were shown by scientists and members of NGOs that sport and physical activity are taking an important role in the field of physiological and psychological rehabilitation and are essential for improving health and well-being. They chose between workshops that ranged from topics such as neurobiological and behavioural impact after major disasters to a broad overview of educational, recreational, orthopaedic and other ways of intervention methods.

By inviting representatives of international organisations active in the field of adapted physical activity and other working areas in supportance of people with disability or other therapeutical needs – e.g. Amy Farkas from the IPC, Cyril Loisel from Handicap International or Simon Koh from Special Olympics - running programs and activities in areas, that were hit by catastrophes, were presented and discussed. Experiences were shared and participants were invited to work out solutions for the affected children and youth. And it seemed highly valuable for the participants to see in which areas different organisations are currently working in and what potential activities are still possible. Sport as a means for rehabilitation and to overcome trauma seemed to be a new means for many of them.

Another issue that was being discussed was whether sport and physical activity could or should be an immediate measure in disaster areas, not only for the surviving victims but also for the people who offer their help. There was no general answer based on scientific evidence except examples of sport and physical activity for rehabilitation, for example in refugee camps. In the end the point was raised that sport experts should be included in national or international task forces set up for disaster relief. There are different stages of help existing after a natural incident that differ in their targets, e.g. first aid, immediate measures and reconstruction, and it seemed to be that many see sport as one of the lesser means for help. But: "The longer you wait, the more embedded the trauma is," was the reply by Alan Kirk. "People forget what they have eaten but they never forget what has happened to them."

In her closing words ICSSPE President Gudrun Doll-Tepper summarised the necessity to improve co-ordination between organisations, nations, disciplines and professions in order to build sustainability-guaranteeing synergies. She referred to already existing resource options such as the online database of sport and development and invited everybody to make extensive use of it. She also asked participants to include issues of the seminar on their own agendas for action, ensuring follow-up initiatives and the inclusion of people with a disability beyond current areas of operation and beyond the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. „Many children and young people have post traumatic psychological and physical problems and are struggling to find help for their special needs and it is our responsibility to show them a way back to a normal life with challenges, experiences, with engagement, fun and delight!“