Celebrating the International Day of Education: Reflections on 2024

World Aquatics continued to empower its global community through a wide range of educational initiatives in 2024 - with more to come this year.

On the International Day of Education, World Aquatics reflects on a year of significant progress, highlighting the educational initiatives that have strengthened the global aquatics community. From workshops to scholarships, 2024 was defined by efforts to empower athletes, coaches, and officials across all six aquatics sports. 

A significant focus this year was widening access to education. The World Aquatics Scholarship Programme and Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme enabled athletes to combine top-level training with further education, while the World Aquatics e-learning platform provided flexible and accessible resources for participants worldwide. 

Coaches and officials benefitted from tailored training and certification programmes, including the updated Coaches Certification Pathway and World Aquatics Courses for Technical Officials. These initiatives not only improved skills but also ensured the coaching community could empower the next generation of aquatics talent. 

Another key project in 2024 was the World Aquatics Mentorship Programme, which engaged 10 Member Federations from five continents. After eight months of collaboration, participants gathered in Budapest for three days of interactive workshops, sharing strategic plans and celebrating progress in governance, leadership and sport development. 

Anti-doping education was, and continues to be, a central focus for World Aquatics, often led by the independent Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU). All athletes competing in the World Aquatics Championships in Doha were required to complete an anti-doping e-learning course prior to participation in the competition. Additionally, on-site anti-doping education booths and a workshop featuring WADA President Witold Bańka and renowned experts provided athletes with vital insights into clean sport. Additionally, monthly webinars run in partnership with the International Testing Agency (ITA) continued to promote integrity in sport throughout the year. 

Additional education initiatives have included Learn to Swim clinics, which promoted water safety and inclusivity across the globe as well as the innovative Discover Water programme, which launched on World Drowning Prevention Day in July. This programme aims to provide young children around the world with the necessary education and skills to enjoy aquatics sports safely. 

Speaking at the launch event in Paris, during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, President Husain Al-Musallam underlined World Aquatics’ role in promoting water safety and education around the world. 

“World Aquatics and our 210 National Federations remain committed to working with the entire aquatics family to promote water safety and reduce the risk of drowning, and this initiative is just one of the many steps we are taking,” he said. 

“For this programme to be sustainable and effective, it is so important to target young children aged from 6 to 12 to develop their aquatic literacy and equip them with key education and skills to enjoy and experience the water. 

The World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest marked a fantastic conclusion to World Aquatics education initiatives in 2024. Beyond the staggering 152 records broken, the Championships saw several impactful programmes, workshops, and conversations implemented on the sidelines, designed to bring the global aquatics community together and advance the sport globally. 

You can read about the "transformative" World Aquatics Swimming Championships here.

On this International Day of Education, World Aquatics reaffirms its commitment to facilitating learning, collaboration and education as the foundation for aquatics’ continued growth.