Building a healthier future: CPO HANSER SERVICE and DGSP deliver Sports, Medicine and Health Summit 2025

CPO HANSER SERVICE, an IAPCO member, partnered with the German Federation of Sports Medicine and Prevention (DGSP) to deliver the third Sports, Medicine and Health Summit (SMHS) – a biennial event dedicated to advancing health, performance, and well-being through sport.

Held from 26–28 June 2025 at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg, the Summit brought together 4,500 participants from more than 30 countries, including scientists, physicians, physiotherapists, trainers, policymakers, educators, students, sports clubs, and enthusiasts. Under the patronage of Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr Peter Tschentscher, SMHS 2025 showcased Hamburg’s position as a ‘Global Active City’, strengthening the local economy while elevating global dialogue on movement, healthcare prevention and community health.

Since 2021, CPO HANSER SERVICE has co-created the Summit with DGSP, shaping it into a flagship, interdisciplinary platform that bridges scientific research with real-world practice – from clinics and training environments to schools, clubs and communities.

Challenges
Building a Summit of this scale that unites science, sport, and society presented several key challenges:

Connecting diverse disciplines: Designing a programme that brought together medicine, sports science, physiotherapy, education, public policy, and community sport in a cohesive and meaningful way.

Balancing theory and practice: Ensuring scientific rigor while offering practical sessions that could influence clinical work, training methods and public health outcomes.

Serving multiple audiences: Delivering value across a spectrum of participants – from health professionals to coaches, policymakers, educators, students, sports clubs, and the public.

Aligning with Hamburg's ‘Active City’ strategy: Integrating the Summit into the city’s health and movement agenda required strong collaboration with local authorities and partners.

Modern engagement expectations: Meeting the demand for interactive formats, accessible communication, and strong social media reach to broaden public relevance.

Solutions
CPO HANSER SERVICE combined its congress expertise, creative programme design and strong local partnerships to deliver a Summit that inspired action toward a healthier and more active society.

Strategic leadership and collaboration: Working closely with DGSP, the City of Hamburg, and an international Scientific and Advisory Board, the programme was aligned with academic priorities, municipal strategy and societal needs. Patronage from Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr Peter Tschentscher, strengthened political visibility and advocacy impact.

Innovative and interdisciplinary programme: Across three days, the Summit offered 225 sessions covering sports medicine, prevention, performance, mental health, nutrition, men’s health, youth well-being, strength training, and endurance science – illustrating the full spectrum of sport’s impact on public health.

Expo and Sports Zone – a reimagined exhibition: A defining feature of SMHS 2025 was its highly interactive Expo and Sports Zone, which transformed the traditional trade floor into a hands-on, cross-disciplinary experience with over 100 exhibitors from sport, medicine, academia and industry.

Highlights included:

• Live participation sessions with Hamburg sports clubs: boxing with world champion Dilar Kisikyol, football drills, yoga sessions, and fencing workshops.
• A ‘Match-Making’ area for networking and career connections.
• Poster tours, guided sessions and a ‘Real Talk’ stage featuring open conversations between scientists, practitioners and scientific influencers.

This environment encouraged meaningful encounters and knowledge exchange across disciplines and sectors.

Education and inclusion: The pioneering ‘School Meets Health’ programme – supported by the Hamburg State School Authority – engaged 300 students and teachers in workshops on body image, mental health, motivation, social media, and the role of sport in well-being. Influencers and athletes contributed open, relatable discussions that strongly resonated with youth audiences.

Global advocacy and policy impact: During Global Alliance Day, representatives from over 15 countries renewed the Hamburg Declaration, reaffirming international commitment to increasing physical activity and promoting sport as preventive healthcare.

Outcomes
SMHS 2025 delivered significant academic, social, and economic value for Hamburg and the global sports medicine community.

Global participation and reach:

• 4,500 attendees from 30+ countries
• 200 speakers
• 100 exhibitors
• 300 students

This represented one of the most diverse and interdisciplinary gatherings in the field.

Economic and urban impact: The Summit generated strong economic value for Hamburg through hospitality, tourism, and business activity, while reinforcing the city’s status as a European hub for sports, health and preventative medicine.

Societal and public engagement: By integrating science communicators and social media influencers, the Summit translated complex academic insights into accessible public content. Media outcomes included:

• 1.2 million social media views
• 350,000 unique users during event week
• 60% female audience engagement
• 30+ features across print, radio, and television

These results demonstrate how a scientific congress can evolve into a city-wide movement for healthy living.

Knowledge transfer and health impact: The Summit strengthened interdisciplinary understanding and directly supported improvements in clinical practice, rehabilitation, training methodologies, preventive healthcare strategies, youth well-being and mental health initiatives.

Policy and advocacy: The renewed Hamburg Declaration amplified global commitment to embedding physical activity into public health systems and preventative strategies.

Legacy and sustainability: SMHS 2025 reinforced Hamburg’s identity as a Global Active City and a model for integrating sport into public health and urban well-being strategies.

Through its leadership, creativity, and operational excellence, CPO HANSER SERVICE has shaped the Sports, Medicine and Health Summit into a dynamic, living movement for better health through sport, driving change from the playing field to public policy.