Prince Harry announces new festival in Australia

Prince Harry has introduced a new global adaptive sports competition set for wounded, injured, and sick military service members and veterans. This event is slated to happen in Perth, Australia, this October.

The Duke of Sussex made this announcement during a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, following the customary Last Post service.

The Invictus Australia Sports Festival will gather participants from three countries: Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.

Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh, was present at the event, which was organized by Paralympian Paul Nunnari.

The festival marks a broadening of the Invictus movement, providing more competitive chances beyond the biennial Invictus Games.

Energy firm ATCO will be the presenting partner for this inaugural event, aiming to utilise the therapeutic advantages of competitive sports for those recovering from service-related ailments.

The festival is crafted to extend the Invictus movement's influence by creating more regular opportunities for veterans in the region to participate in adaptive sports.

Besides the competition itself, the organisers intend to form an observer program for countries in the Asia-Pacific region interested in launching their own sport-driven recovery programs for military members.

Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games Foundation currently operates across 25 countries with its biennial Games and ongoing rehabilitation initiatives.

Rob Owen OBE, the chief executive of the Invictus Games Foundation, described the festival as "a thrilling advancement in our mission to offer year-round recovery opportunities through sport."

He mentioned: "By creating more routine, regional competitive chances, we can reach and support even more members of our community. We are profoundly grateful to ATCO and Invictus Australia for their partnership in making this vision reality, and to Invictus Germany for providing the model."

Lisa Cooke, ATCO's senior vice president and chief marketing officer, shared her excitement about the partnership.

"We’re delighted to extend ATCO’s long-term support for military communities by being the presenting partner of the inaugural Invictus Australia Sports Festival," she expressed, emphasising the company’s recognition of sport’s ability to help veterans "heal, develop resilience, and maintain connections."

Glenn Keys AO, chairman of Invictus Australia, welcomed the chance to host the first festival in Perth.

Keys pointed out research indicating that sports could address 34 out of the 122 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defense and Veteran Suicide.

"It’s more crucial than ever that we collaborate closely with our allies to enhance support for veterans and their families and learn from each other," he declared.

He expressed eagerness in welcoming both participants and observers at what he described as "this landmark event."

Since stemming from the Sydney 2018 Games, Invictus Australia has evolved into the country’s top charity that connects the defense community with sports, involving nearly 30,000 veterans and their families in activities domestically and internationally.