• Main Committee to oversee the planning and organization of the Conference
• High level overview of Conference logistics and scientific program development ensuring that faculty selection follows established diversity criteria
• Serve as ambassadors to help with marketing efforts
• Final decision rights on any Conference related items including but not limited to: Registration fees, sponsorship & exhibit fees, budget and other financial decisions, marketing & promotion, onsite materials

The IOC ensures continuity in the organization of these conferences and in profiling injury prevention globally. It oversees current conference preparations and is the official body for nominating selected host countries. Its role in the conference organisation is:

• To assure that high quality scientific and professional information is presented
• To ensure participation of a wide range of disciplines and sectors and the active involvement of lead experts in these sectors
• To ensure diversity of global participation (of all types) and of proper gender balance in invited committee members and key speakers
• To ensure sound management and national support
• To assist in raising government support and the active involvement of non-government (grassroot) organizations, and
• To promote the development of associated (pre/post)meetings and courses consistent with the objectives of the main conference.

The National Organising Committee (NOC) comprises representatives of the host (Foundation for Professional Development -FPD) and co-host organisations (South African Medical Research Council – SAMRC) and is overall responsible for the successful organisation of the 2026 event. Its role in the conference organisation is focused on:

• Planning and Coordination – Ensuring smooth organisation of the event in line with the broader goals agreed to between the Host and the WHO
• Convening in consultation with the International Organising Committee (IOC) the International Scientific Committee (ISC) .
• Overseeing the work of the Conference Secretariat – the FPD Conference Department who is tasked with:
  o     Supporting the smooth functioning of all conference committees other than the IOC
  o     Abstract management
  o     Delegate management
  o     Venue and logistics management
  o     Conference communications
  o     Fundraising
  o     Contracting service providers
  o     Recruiting and managing volunteers
• Local partnerships and support – engaging with local institutions and stakeholder to establish the National Action Group (NAG)
• Incorporating local context, customs, and hospitality into the event (e.g. welcome events, cultural experiences).
• Crisis and contingency planning – preparing for and responding to any local challenges or emergencies. 
• Organising selected conference components including:
  o     Opening and Closing Sessions
  o     Welcome reception
  o     Awards session
  o     Scholarship programme
  o     Closed meeting: Round tables and business meetings.
  o     Pre and Post-conference workshops
  o     Capacity-building sessions
  o     Approving satellite sessions – Partner-organised technical dialogues.
  o     Arranging special events as required e.g.
  •     Leadership Lounge,
  •     Youth Forum Safety
  •     Media Awards.
  •     Community Nexus
  •     Field visits

The ISC ensures the scientific integrity, relevance, and inclusivity of Safety 2026. It provides expert guidance on all scientific matters and ensures alignment between the global priorities of the International Organising Committee (IOC) and the local context defined by the National Organising Committee (NOC) and the National Action Group (NAG). Its role in the conference organisation is focused on :

• Appointing members to the track committees, rapporteurs, subject matter experts (SMEs) social media rapporteurs “through:
  o     Nominating track committee members
  o     Appointing track rapporteurs
  o     Nominating subject matter experts (SME) social media rapporteurs for the “Voices of Ubuntu” Project
  o     Ensuring geographical, gender, and disciplinary diversity on track committees
  •     Developing the scientific programme through:
  o     Refining thematic tracks (five major tracks with sub-topics).
  o     Refining subtopics for each track.
  o     Refining the abstract submission system e.g. development of key words
  o     Identifying topics for debates and panel discussions.
  o     Identifying cross cutting themes to be incorporated into all track programmes
  o     Planning the format of the scientific component of the event (plenary meetings, oral presentations, poster sessions etc)
  o     Coordinating track committees and ensuring quality assurance
• Providing mentorship for 1st time abstract submitters
• Managing the abstract review process through:
  o     Overseeing transparent peer review using established scoring templates
  o     Ensuring gender and regional representation among reviewers
  o     Approving abstracts as oral, poster, or other format presentations
• Speaker and session development
  o     Identifying and recommending via the NOC to the IOC plenary, keynote, and state-of-the-art speakers for scientific plenary sessions.
  o     Selecting panel moderators
  o     Selecting rapporteurs.
  o     Identifying session chairpersons
  o     Identifying poster walk moderators
• Providing quality and integrity oversight through:
  o     Identifying the best oral and poster presentations for conference awards
  o     Upholding scientific and ethical standards
  o     Ensuring inclusivity, accessibility, and respect for lived experience
• Supporting knowledge sharing through:
  o     Contributing to daily summaries, social media posts, closing reports, and the Cape Town Declaration.
  o     Supporting post-conference publication and knowledge products.

The National Support Group (NSG) works closely with the National Organizing Committee (NOC) of the Safety 2026 Conference to leverage the opportunity the convening of this international conference of experts to optimise the opportunity to create a national movement dedicated to creating a safer society through focusing on the following objectives:

• To expand the role players participating in the conference to include organisations, scientists, policy makers, industry and activist from fields such as urban development, social equality, human security, trade and development, mental health, and climate change
• To establish technical working groups leading up to the conference to develop consensus around an actionable post conference cross sectoral implementation plan to achieve measurable progress in creating as safer society
• To create an environment conducive to the establishment and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated violence and injury prevention programme in South Africa
• To create a nationwide multisectoral alliance dedicated to beginning addressing the underlying social determinants that drives the intertwined epidemics of violence and mental health
• To facilitate the exchange of information on the conference among national organisations and stakeholders
• To encourage community groups to develop workshops and other group sessions and participate actively in various networking opportunities provided at the conference
• To support fundraising to ensure the participation of community representatives in the conference
• To create opportunities for inclusive participation for civil society through the Community Nexus and other event