The announcement and public launch will take place during a press conference at the Federal Chancellery given by Dr Gusenbauer, Austrian Paralympic Committee Chairman Dr Peter Wittmann and EPC President Enrique Sánchez-Guijo.

Vienna was chosen by EPC members to host the HQ at the 2007 General Assembly held in Heraklion (Crete), Greece, in mid-September. The Austrian bid faced tough competition from rival bidding cities Istanbul (Turkey), Lausanne (Switzerland), Piestany (Slovakia) and Rome (Italy). Vienna came out on top following tight voting in the first rounds of the election to select the host city, earning the right to become EPC’s new home as of 1st January 2008.

Prior to the press conference, on Thursday 8th November, the EPC President will be received in the Austrian Parliament for an official visit and a welcome dinner.

The new HQ and permanent office will further strengthen EPC’s infrastructure by providing a hub for the committee’s activities and the support of paid staff. To date, EPC has developed and grown despite the lack of both. The HQ and office will enable EPC to move forward more effectively and professionally as it strives to continue the development of the European Paralympic movement and sport for people with disabilities in Europe.

One of the Vienna HQ’s first tasks will be to support the EPC Executive Board, EPC members and other stakeholders to achieve the key goal of organising new European sports events for young and developing European Paralympic athletes.     

EPC’s mission is to secure the provision of excellent sporting opportunities for European athletes with a disability as part of the world-wide Paralympic movement in order to promote the full integration of people with disabilities in Europe through sport. For more information contact info@europaralympic.org.