History of the IVV
Second History page describing the IVV
The IVV is Formed
The limited time window for finishing created a desire to establish a separate organization that would promote non-competitive Events. The International Federation of Popular Sports (Internationaler Volkssportverband, or IVV) was formed in 1968. The new organization’s rules included the elimination of time limitations so that everybody who completed the event was to receive an award for participation. The city of Lindau, West Germany, on the beautiful Bodensee River was the formal location for this cooperative effort among the four countries. Since its establishment the national colors of the four founding countries were shown in the official IVV banner. By 1969 fifteen volksmarches as we know them today using the non-competitive format had been held in southern Bavaria. “Urban-dwellers welcomed the opportunity to exercise on weekends, breathe fresh country air in an unpressured atmosphere, and to receive recognition for their efforts” (AVA, Sept. 1988, p.9).
By 1980 24 nations had become members and were participating in volkssports. They included Germany, Austria, Switzerland/Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Denmark, Italy, South Tyrol, France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States, Canada, and Finland (AVA, 1980, p.2). In 1989 worldwide statistics showed 4,700 member clubs in the 24 nations, sponsoring 5,600 IVV events and having 15 million participants registered.
According to the Constitution of the IVV, the goals of the Association are:
1) To encourage public health through a non-competitive, outdoor sports program;
2) To contribute toward peace and understanding among nations by fostering international friendship through volkssports (IVV Constitution, 1981, p.1).
The purpose of the Association is to conduct non-competitive popular sports events, and in particular:
1) Unite national Volkssport associations while fully recognizing their legal and economic independence, and to stimulate and to mutually support their work through the constant exchange of ideas and experiences;
2) Authorize member organizations to grant the IVV Achievement Award to individuals in recognition of their repeated participation in Volkssport events (IVV Constitution, 1968, p.1).
In addition, the IVV is a non-profit organization with “no political, racial, or ideological orientations.” By promoting volkssports the Association “pursues exclusively, directly, and selflessly the public welfare” (IVV Statutes and By-Laws, May3, 1986, p.1)
