Representatives from 32 member organisations came together at the 15th general meeting of the World Physiotherapy Europe region in Pristina, Kosovo, on 14-15 May 2026.
Hosted by the Chamber of Physiotherapists of Kosovo, the Europe region general meeting opened with a speech by Esther-Mary D’Arcy, chair of the Europe region, and Michel Landry, World Physiotherapy president.
The 2026-2030 strategic plan was approved by the region’s members, with the five working groups of the region reporting back on their 2024-2026 term. During the afternoon session, representatives of the member organisations were divided into three groups in breakout rooms to discuss the following topics:
- a common training framework for physiotherapy in Europe
- public affairs for physiotherapy associations
- risks and opportunities for physiotherapy
Members of the Education & Research Working Group and the Bulgarian Association of Physiotherapists delegation also held a tribute to their colleague Lyubomira Sazdova, who passed away during this term.
On the second day of the meeting member organisations were again divided into three groups to discuss the future of the Europe region.
Following the discussion session, elections were held for the Europe region executive committee. The following individuals were elected:
- Chair: Tim Nemeth (2026-2030), member of AXXON, Physical Therapy in Belgium
- Executive committee member: Adérito Seixas (2026-2030), Order of Physiotherapists, Portugal
- Executive committee member: Fran Theron (2026-2028), Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists
The general meeting concluded with a tribute from member organisations to Esther-Mary D'Arcy, who stepped down as chair of the Europe region after eight years in the role.
Europe region awards 2026
Every two years, the Europe region recognises the contribution of individuals to physiotherapy within the region.
During the official dinner of the general meeting, the following were recognised for their outstanding service to physiotherapy in Europe:
- María Torres Lacomba, member of the Spanish Association of Physiotherapists
- Helena Pepa, former CEO of the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists
