Invictus Games Foundation Convenes Global Leaders to Turn Policy into Practice for International Wounded, Injured and Sick Service Personnel and Veterans

The IGF Conversation From Policy to Practice today highlighted how the Invictus Movement is driving lasting change beyond the Games, as Uganda joins the growing global community, and international Ministers for Veterans Affairs outlined long-term impact of membership.

Today’s conference explored how nations can learn from each other to strengthen recovery pathways and improve rehabilitation outcomes for those with injuries or illnesses post Service.

Moderated by Petroc Trelawny and opened by IGF Chair Lord Allen of Kensington CBE and Founder and Patron The Duke of Sussex, the conference brought together representatives from across the growing Invictus Movement to share evidence, practical experience and policy innovations that are helping transform support for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans around the world.

The event reinforces the Foundation's mission to use the power of sport and the Invictus Community to catalyse systemic change, ensuring recovery extends far beyond a single competition or an individual and instead becomes embedded within national approaches to rehabilitation, wellbeing and lifelong support.

A key focus throughout the event was the importance of international collaboration, recognising that while every nation has its own unique military, healthcare and veterans' systems, all share a common commitment to enabling those who have served to thrive beyond injury or illness.

Panel discussions examined how governments, armed forces, charities and communities can work together to improve recovery outcomes, with Canada, UK, and Ukraine Ministers outlining policy approaches, and representatives from Denmark and Georgia sharing their respective national approaches and lessons learned in supporting wounded, injured and sick personnel and veterans.

The conference also hosted the official welcome of Uganda as the newest nation to join the Invictus Movement, reflecting the Foundation's continued commitment to expanding its impact where it is needed most, bringing the community to 26 nations.

The Duke of Sussex, Founder and Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, said:

"I hope you leave this conference with a deeper understanding of what the Invictus Movement really is. Not simply a week of sport every few years, but a community united by one belief: that the unconquered human spirit exists in every nation and that our shared responsibility is to create the conditions in which it can flourish."

Calvin Bailey MP, UK Minister for Veterans and People, said:

"The Invictus Community demonstrates that recovery is strongest when it is built into the systems that support our armed forces community every day. By bringing together nations willing to learn from one another, this conference helps turn ambition into action, ensuring that policy delivers meaningful and lasting outcomes for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans."

The Honourable Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, said:

“Canada is proud to have hosted the Invictus Games twice and been the foundation for an Invictus Legacy fund, ensuring the spirit and impact of the Games continues to live on. As we move forward together, we will build on the progress made, strengthen our partnerships, and ensure Veterans and their families continue to receive the support they need to achieve their goals and live well after service.”

Natalia Kalmykova, Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, said:

"For Ukraine, supporting veterans is not only a matter of gratitude - it is an investment in the future strength of our democracy. The Invictus Movement has demonstrated that recovery through sport can strengthen communities, create new opportunities for those who have served, and help build better systems of support for veterans.

Ukraine is proud to contribute its experience to this growing international partnership, because when veterans continue to serve their communities, our societies become stronger.”

Rob Owen OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Invictus Games Foundation, said:

"The Invictus Games Foundation exists to go where the need is great. Whether supporting nations with long-established recovery programmes or those just beginning their journey, our role is to bring people together, share knowledge and help build sustainable systems that improve lives long after the Games have ended.

We are therefore delighted to welcome Uganda into the Invictus Community, one that believes recovery is possible, that service deserves lifelong support, and that together we can ensure no one is left behind.”

Since the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014, the Invictus Movement has grown into a year-round international network now spanning 26 nations, using sport as a catalyst for recovery while fostering collaboration across governments, military organisations, healthcare providers, academia and the charitable sector.

The From Policy to Practice Conversation forms part of the Foundation's wider commitment to ensuring the legacy of the Invictus Games extends well beyond the field of play, supporting nations to share best practice, and to develop stronger policies, partnerships and programmes that improve the lives of wounded, injured and sick service personnel, veterans and their families for years to come.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Photos will be available from PA (UK & Ireland) or Alamy (International) post event.
• Video available from GB News (pool); or PA post event.

Invictus Games Foundation

The Invictus Games Foundation (IGF) is the world’s leading organisation supporting international wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans.

The Invictus Games Foundation is a force for good: inspiring positive change, improving lives, and driving progress towards a better, more inclusive future for those who have served. Through sport, we enable wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to reclaim their purpose, rebuild their identity, and shape a positive future beyond injury.

As we enter our second decade, the Invictus Games Foundation is working towards a future where no wounded, injured or sick (WIS) service person or veteran is left without the opportunity to recover, rebuild and thrive through the power of sport and community.

Over the next decade, our ambition is to continue to catalyse systemic change across a growing international movement focusing our resources where the need is great while continuing to support the community we have proudly served over the past ten years.

With our biennial Invictus Games and our year-round sports recovery and rehabilitation programmes, the Foundation has built a thriving global community spanning 26 nations and reaching every continent.

Further enquiries: contact Sam Newell on media@invictusgames.org