As the world observes World Drowning Prevention Day 2026, the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) is calling on its global community of organizations, partners, policymakers and community leaders to Unite to Turn the Tide on Drowning – the global call to action for this year’s event.
Drowning remains a significant yet preventable public health challenge. Despite global drowning rates falling by 38 percent since 2000, drowning continues to claim more than 300,000 lives every year. Unite to Turn the Tide is a powerful reminder that progress is possible when the global community works together to expand evidence-based interventions, strengthen water safety education and champion lifesaving skills in every region.
ILS President Graham Ford AO’s message for World Drowning Prevention Day focuses on recognition of the progress made and acknowledgement that more can be done to reduce drowning deaths by a further 35 percent by 2035 – the target set by the WHO’s Global Alliance on Drowning Prevention.
In his message, President Ford reflects on the achievements of the past year and the collective strength of the ILS movement:
“I am deeply committed to ILS’s role in worldwide drowning prevention and water safety,” Ford said.
“In the last year our organisation has continued to strengthen its global impact through several key achievements, including:
- The ILS membership of the WHO Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention, announced in May 2026
- Confirmation that the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2027 will be held in Rome, Italy
- The work of the ILS Academy, which held Flood Rescue course at last year’s WHO-co-sponsored World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Egypt.
- ILS is the only recognised humanitarian sport in which our frontline volunteer lifesavers train and compete to be rescue-ready, undertake rescues, protect communities, and save lives.
“These achievements demonstrate the strength of the international lifesaving movement and the growing recognition of drowning prevention as a global priority.
“Reaching the 2035 target will require sustained commitment, expanded collaboration, and ongoing investment in training, education, research and community engagement,” Ford said.
Visit the WHO website to take action this World Drowning Prevention Day.
SPOTLIGHT: The ILS Academy – advancing professionalism and expanding impact
Established in 2022, the ILS Academy serves as the ILS’ global hub for education, training and professional development. Created to strengthen capacity across the international lifesaving community, the Academy provides structured learning pathways, specialised courses and collaborative training opportunities designed to elevate standards, improve readiness and expand the reach of drowning-prevention expertise worldwide. Its mission aligns directly with ILS’s broader commitment to building a safer world through knowledge, skills and shared international practice.
Since the inaugural course on the role of lifesaving organisations in flood disasters, the Academy’s executive board has been exemplary in advancing its long-term objective “to become better, to do more.”
Become Better
“Become better” reflects the Academy’s commitment to strengthening professionalism across the international lifesaving community. To support this, three new courses have been developed:
- Open Water Safety
- Psychosocial Impact of Drowning (Resilient Teams. Safe Minds)
- Leadership
The first residential course on open water safety will take place in Oslo from 16–18 October 2026, in collaboration with ILS-Europe. Webinars for the other two courses, as well as for the successful flood-rescue course, are expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026. Preparations are also underway to offer residential courses on all four topics across all ILS regions in 2027.
Importantly, both teachers and students will include representatives from aquatic safety organisations beyond ILS, supporting a broader movement toward shared professional standards. An integral part of this effort is the development of a structure for continuous education, ensuring that lifesaving professionals can build and maintain skills throughout their careers.
Do More
“Do more” speaks to the enormous potential within the international lifesaving community to contribute to drowning prevention beyond traditional aquatic recreational environments. To harness this potential, the Academy has produced a curriculum for a drowning prevention officer (a temporary working title). This curriculum will undergo critical peer review by organisations across the lifesaving and drowning-prevention sector during the second half of 2026.
This work aims to structure and elevate the integration of knowledge, experience and passion across the global lifesaving movement, enabling ILS members to contribute more effectively to drowning-prevention initiatives in diverse environments and communities.