16th September 2023. Today, organisers of the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 presented by Boeing have announced the launch of Invictus Germany as a legacy to the Games. This week, Germany hosted the Invictus Games, where 503 competitors from 21 nations, friends and family members, and volunteers have been in Dusseldorf to celebrate this unique sporting event. Now that the Games are coming to an end, the newly founded organization "INVICTUS GERMANY" will continue to spread the Invictus Spirit in Germany. The goal of this legacy initiative is to encourage a change of mind and a dialogue in society about the recovery of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans and the role of sport.
"Playing host to the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 is a very special honor for me and everyone involved. This unique sporting event underscores once again Düsseldorf's international appeal and represents much more than just an athletic competition. The INVICTUS GAMES stand for a mindset, which corresponds perfectly with the cosmopolitan attitude of the state capital.With INVICTUS GERMANY, we are continuing the extraordinary work of the INVICTUS GAMES FOUNDATION. Düsseldorf will keep the Invictus spirit long after the Games have gone", says Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller, Patron of INVICTUS GERMANY.
"Düsseldorf has hosted a fantastic Games, with an amazing atmosphere within the stadium all week. The cheering crowds leave me in no doubt that the spirit of the Invictus Games will live on in Germany. The Invictus Games Foundation welcomes the ambition of host cities to use the Games as an opportunity to develop a sustainable legacy. Through organisations like INVICTUS GERMANY, competitors and Family & Friends have opportunities to recover together and gain visibility and awareness in the community“, says Dominic Reid, CEO of theInvictus Games Foundation.
INVICTUS GERMANY will focus on the people who ensure the freedom and security of us all through their service to their country. These wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans and all those in uniform, as well as their families, deserve all of our support for their rehabilitation. Family members and friends make an important contribution to a new beginning and face great challenges themselves. Reason enough to recognize them for their achievements as well and to include them.
The aim is to spread the spirit of “A HOME FOR RESPECT“ from Düsseldorf to all of Germany. The INVICTUS GAMES show in a unique way how sport can have a positive effect on physical and mental well-being. For the competitors and their Family & Friends, the Games are a visible sign of appreciation and recognition.
The German Armed Forces support INVICTUS GERMANY. Lieutenant General Markus Laubenthal says: "INVICTUS GERMANY carries the spirit of the Invictus Games into the future and complements the Bundeswehr's own Legacy measures. I would like to thank our partner the state capital Düsseldorf for their great commitment."
INVICTUS GERMANY will be hosting a sports event of the same name in Düsseldorf as early as 2024. In addition to a team Germany, international teams can also participate. In line with the vision for the INVICTUS GAMES DÜSSELDORF 2023, the German team for this sports event next year will include a limited number of participants from the "blue light organizations" ( such as e.g. police, fire department, and the Technisches Hilfswerk).
About INVICTUS GERMANY
INVICTUS GERMANY is carried by D.LIVE, a company of the state capital Düsseldorf. Since 2019, D.LIVE has been responsible for the implementation of the INVICTUS GAMES DUSSELDORF 2023 in Germany, which were held for the first time in 2023 in the MERKUR SPIEL-ARENA. The aim is to provide a permanent platform for those members of the Bundeswehr who have been affected and also their families and their friends for exchange and continuous rehabilitation.
The main objectives are:
- Implementation of an annual INVICTUS GERMANY sports event with invited nations and the Friends & Family community in Düsseldorf.
- Support the Invictus Games Foundation’s work on international collaboration within the INVICTUS GAMES community.
- Promote social discourse between servicemen and women and civil society.
- Strengthen Social Awareness of Disability, the Right of Rehabilitation and the Relevance of Sport.
All information can be found here: www.invictusgermany.de/en