Lebanon hosts first National Paralympic Day

The National Paralympic Committee gathered together supporters and partners to offer try-outs of wheelchair basketball, table-tennis and football-5-a-side. 30 Jun 2015
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Group shot on an athletics track

The Lebanese Paralympic Committee hosted a successful first National Paralympic Day in Beirut, on 11 June attended by dignitaries and sports clubs from across the country.

ⒸLebanese Paralympic Committee
By Lebanese Paralympic Committee

The Lebanese Paralympic Committee hosted a successful first National Paralympic Day in Beirut, on 11 June attended by dignitaries and sports clubs from across the country.

The event, supported by national mobile operator touch, saw people try and watch a selection of para-sports.

Thanks to the participation of Hekmeh Basketball Club, wheelchair basketball was one of the sports available, alongside table tennis with the support of Homenetmen - Antelias, Literature and Sports – Kfarshima, USEK and touch. Football 5-a-side was also on the agenda alongside a display of wheelchairs and handcycles for people to try.

Member clubs affiliated to the Lebanese Paralympic Committee including the Goodwill Sports Club, Forum of the Handicapped Sport Association and the Lebanese Welfare Association for the Handicapped Sports Club were on hand to lend their expertise.

Randa Berri, President of the National Paralympic Committee, was unable to attend but Fadi Hanna, the Secretary General, spoke on Berri’s behalf.

Speaking at the event Hanna said: “It is a moral, patriotic, humanitarian and social obligation to call the disabled “people with special needs,” but in fact they are people with special abilities.

“That is why we have pledged to support their cause and rights, starting with living in dignity, their right to work and receive hospitalisation and care.

“This support does not only include sports related activities, through which people with special needs managed to turn their disabilities into potential.

“But because they succeeded in local, regional and international sports and Paralympic competitions, the Lebanese Association for Disabled Sports and the Lebanese Paralympic Committee were the official frame through which we tried to deliver the ambitions of disabled athletes.”

Hanna also thanked touch, the Lebanese University and all competing teams.

Also in attendance on the day were Jean Daoud representing the President of the Lebanese University; Colonel Sami Bassil on behalf of Army Chief General Jean Kahwaji; Lieutenant Colonel Elie El Deek for the Director General of General Security; Lieutenant Colonel Elie Abboud representing Director General of Internal Security Forces and Mohammad Ouwaydat for the Director General of Youth and Sports Zayd Khiyami.