- Together with the International Paralympic Committee, the Training Series aims to encourage young people with disabilities to get involved in sports
- Inclusive training videos and workout plans by and with Paralympians offer a new accessible opportunity
- The Training Series is the latest of 24 initiatives from the insurer’s MoveNow program looking to move people of the next generation
Munich, November 15th 2022. Together with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Allianz has developed an inclusive training series with workout videos by Paralympic athletes as part of their MoveNow program. The insurer wants to encourage young people with disabilities to get involved in sports and prepare them to believe in a better future by overcoming that “day one”.
Already in June this year, Allianz – Worldwide Insurance Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements – teamed up with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IPC to launch the MoveNow program to strengthen the role of sport in society to create a healthier environment for young people. Through 24 initiatives Allianz wants to get the next generation moving worldwide until the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
During the pandemic, the sports industry has undergone a transformation. New solutions have been created to motivate the younger generation. But not everyone was able to take advantage of these solutions due to their impairments. One of the main barriers young people with disabilities are facing is the lack of access to instructors with the skills and willingness to be inclusive, as well as the lack of opportunities[1].
Eike Bürgel, Global Head of Olympic and Paralympic Program Management at Allianz, says: “There is an increasing gap when it comes to inclusivity and accessibility in sports and beyond. Through our partnership with the IPC, we will continue to get behind the hopes, challenges and needs of the Para athlete community by creating a pathway of participation for people with disabilities and inspire young people to get active.”
Allianz and the IPC have developed the MoveNow training series offering training videos with Paralympians. Their personal sporting journeys educate the next generation on how they prepared for the best, starting from the day that changed everything…day one. Downloadable Paralympian guided training plans provide the knowledge and support to keep them moving and prepare them for their journey into sport.
Besides the Dutch long jump Paralympic athlete, Fleur Jong, and the Irish shotput Paralympian, Mary Fitzgerald, Nico Langmann is one of the featured Paralympians. Nico is ranked as one of the best wheelchair tennis players worldwide. The 25-year-old Austrian grew up using a wheelchair after a car accident when he was two years old. Nico has always led an active lifestyle and was introduced to wheelchair tennis at the age of seven. His outlook is that there are many options to be fulfilled in life and professional tennis has certainly helped him achieve that. The tennis pro wants to encourage other people with disabilities: “I want to show other people with disabilities what is physically possible because anyone in wheelchair can lead an active lifestyle. I have an incredibly cool, exciting life.”
Craig Spence, Chief Brand & Communications Officer at the IPC, says: “The pandemic impacted persons with disabilities more than anyone else in society. That’s 15 per cent of the world’s population, but many of them feel more marginalised than ever. It’s why initiatives like MoveNow are key. Allianz has been a fantastic supporter of the Paralympic Movement since 2006. They’ve a superb understanding of not only Para athletes but also of what practical support persons with disabilities need. We’re very excited by the MoveNow Training Series because it’s bringing these two communities together in an innovative way. To have Paralympic athletes offer a guiding hand to the starting line and then continue to provide them with that much need motivation along the way is vital.”
According to the slogan “Nothing about us without us”, the creative agency R/GA has helped execute an accessible production and assets in collaboration with Allianz Studio. The project marks the first activation developed by Allianz Studio, an in-house creative studio that works with external partners to bring consumer activations to life. The inclusive filming included a director as well as two participants with disabilities. A sustainable legacy piece and production toolkit help other organizations, companies and media makers drive accessibility in the media space and encourage a more inclusive world.
The MoveNow Training Series and more information about the campaign can be found here: http://Allianz.com/movenow-trainingseries. The blueprint will soon be available through the website.
[1] Healthcare 2022
For further information, please contact:
Edelman
Susann Farrant
E-Mail: susann.farrant@edelman.com
About Allianz
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers with more than 100 million[2] private and corporate customers in more than 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 802 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage 1.9 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological, social and governance criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we hold the leading position for insurers in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, launched on 12.11.2021. In 2020, over 150,000 employees achieved total revenues of 140 billion euros and an operating profit of 10.8 billion euros for the group.
[2] Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.
These assessments are, as always, subject to the disclaimer provided below.
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements
This document includes forward-looking statements, such as prospects or expectations, that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance figures, or events may differ significantly from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.
Deviations may arise due to changes in factors including, but not limited to, the following: (i) the general economic and competitive situation in the Allianz’s core business and core markets, (ii) the performance of financial markets (in particular market volatility, liquidity, and credit events), (iii) adverse publicity, regulatory actions or litigation with respect to the Allianz Group, other well-known companies and the financial services industry generally, (iv) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, including those resulting from natural catastrophes, and the development of loss expenses, (v) mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (vi) persistency levels, (vii) the extent of credit defaults, (viii) interest rate levels, (ix) currency excha
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