Honorary Committee
Prof. Rida A. Shibli
Dr. Rida A. Shibli is a Prof. of Plant Biotechnology and Biodiversity at the University of Jordan. He was born in Mursa / Jarash on July 15, 1962. He received his education in primary and secondary schools in Jerash/ Jordan. His B.Sc & M.Sc were from the University of Jordan- Amman, Jordan, and his Ph.D. was from the University of Illinois; USA. Dr. Rida has occupied many Administrative positions in his scientific work; he has recently been selected again as director of Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research and he is the founder of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology at Al-Ahliyya Amman University and he occupied its deanship in 2021-2023.
show moreAdditionally, he serves as the Executive Secretary of the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA), Jordan, from February 2019 to the present. Furthermore, Dr. Rida was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture for 4 months from 6-9/2016 and he also served as a member of the Jordan Senate from September 2016 to September 2020. Before these roles, he was the President of Mutah University in Karak, Jordan, from April 2013 to June 2016.
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Prof. Cindy
Professor Sit is a full professor in the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She currently serves as the President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA) and chairs the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA). She also holds advisory and leadership roles within the Asian Society for Adapted Physical Education and Exercise (ASAPE) and the Society for Adapted Physical Activity of Hong Kong China (HKSAPA).
show moreHer research focuses on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with a strong emphasis on developing and evaluating adapted physical activity interventions to promote health. With over 170 peer-reviewed publications, Professor Sit, listed among the world’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, is widely recognized for her contributions to the field and serves on multiple editorial boards of leading scientific journals.
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Prof. David Legg
David Legg is Professor of Sport Management and Adapted Physical Activity at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. Dr. Legg has also been a visiting or adjunct scholar at seven other Universities around the globe. His research centres on the Paralympic movement and primarily the legacy of the Games.As a volunteer David has served as President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, board member for the 2015 Pan Parapan American Games in Toronto, the International Paralympic Committee’s Sport Science Committee, and as President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity.
show moreHe is currently the Founder and Chair of the Calgary Adapted Hub Powered by Jumpstart, a board member for Commonwealth Sport Canada, board member for the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) and Chair of the Calgary Sport and Major Event Committee. As a consultant, David worked with the Calgary BidCo for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2030 Alberta Commonwealth Games bid and with Hockey Canada and the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation.
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Prof. Martin Block
Martin Block is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Virginia where he directs the Adapted Physical Activity program. Professor Block is internationally known for his research on including children with disabilities in general physical education resulting in numerous articles, chapters in books, and books. Professor Block also has been a consultant with Special Olympics International dating back to the late 1980’s where he helped create and then direct the Motor Activities Training Program (MATP), a sports program for athletes with severe disabilities. He has been part of the MATP committee
show morethat is currently revising the program as well as a member of the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education. Regarding service, Professor Block has been the long-standing Editor of the Journal Palaestra, and he served as President of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity and the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities..
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Prof. Dr. Kwok Ng
Prof. Dr. Kwok Ng is Chief Scientist Professor at the Lithuanian Sports University, and holds multiple posts at the Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku as a Turku Institute of Advanced Studies Collegium Fellow in Finland and Research Fellow at the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre and Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland. He has published over 100 peer review papers and holds the title of Docent in Health Promotion and Adapted Physical Activity, and is actively engaged adapted physical activity activities as Vice President of IFAPA and Editor Assistant of EUJAPA.
Catherine Carty
Catherine Carty is the UNESCO Chair on Transforming the lives of persons with disabilities through physical education, sport, recreation and fitness and Research Centre Manager at Munster Technological University in Ireland. She was the Director of ISAPA 2025. Her work connects local community initiatives with global policy leadership in inclusive physical education, sport and physical activity. She collaborates with many partners across universities, civil society, NGOs and international Organizations.
show moreincluding UNESCO, WHO, the OECD, the International Paralympic Committee, Special Olympics International and Virtus, to advance disability inclusion through sport. Catherine is a member of the UNESCO Fit for Life Knowledge Innovation Network. She is the co-author of the ISAPA 2025 Proceedings and co-creator of the ISAPA 2025 Easy Read Proceedings, promoting accessible scientific knowledge in adapted physical activity.
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