The World Conference on Drowning Prevention (WCDP 2025) has been declared a resounding success, with more than 500 delegates from 55 countries coming together to share evidence, innovation, and lived experience to accelerate global action on drowning prevention.

Hosted by the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS) under the theme “Waves of Change: Charting a Course to Safer Waters,” the three-day event featured sessions spanning advocacy, policy, research, swimming and water safety education, lifesaving and maritime rescue, environmental risk, emergency response, disaster and climate resilience, technology and AI, and implementation in low- and middle-income countries.

Delegates used this platform to forge new partnerships, align with UN and WHO commitments, and co-design solutions that can be scaled and adapted to diverse local contexts.

For the first time, WCDP 2025 incorporated the ILS Academy course, bolstering professional development opportunities for delegates and strengthening capacity-building across the global lifesaving community. This addition provided structured training alongside the conference program, ensuring that knowledge exchange was matched with practical skills development to support implementation at national and local levels.

ILS wishes to take this opportunity to express gratitude to its hosts, the Egyptian Diving and Lifesaving Federation (EDLF), co-sponsors the World Health Organization, and reception hosts Bloomberg Philanthropies, as well as presenters, panellists, scholarship recipients, volunteers, and colleagues from high-burden and under-resourced settings whose contributions ensured equity and feasibility remained central to the discussions.

As WCDP 2025 concludes, the focus now shifts to communities: integrating new insights into national strategies, local programmes, professional training, and cross-sector coalitions that can sustainably reduce drowning.

We encourage delegates to stay connected with the WCDP network, continue sharing data and practice, and help carry these “waves of change” forward as the world works towards a future free from drowning.