Sochi 2014 Volunteers Champion Equal Opportunities in Sport

A group of Sochi 2014 volunteers are supporting the III Festival of Equal Opportunities in Sport Schools' Day, which is due to take place on March 5, 2011 in Moscow. Over 250 children and teenagers, studying at general and specialized educational institutions in the Moscow Region will join the festival and take part. The Festival is being organised by the Edinaya Strana (United Country) Foundation for the support of people with a disability, which was established by Paralympic Games champions and medal winners.

The aim of the Festival is to eliminate barriers in communication between children living with and without disabilities by increasing the awareness and popularity of Paralympic sports, and helping to create barrier free school environments.

The Sochi 2014 volunteers taking part in the Festival are part of the team which will work at the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Among of the range of skills the volunteers will gain by working with Paralympic athletes, they will receive a strong base knowledge of Paralympic sport and the Paralympic Movement.

The Festival programme includes a presentation of Paralympic sports, sports games and competitions for children, master classes and “The Equal Opportunities Relay Race” where both guests and athletes with a disability will be invited to participate.

The Festival also includes a photo exhibition "Win by overcoming your difficulties", which celebrates the achievements of the Russian Paralympic Team at the X Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Guests of honour at the Festival include: The President of the Edinaya Strana Foundation; Mikhail Terentiev, member of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Lukin, President of the Paralympic Committee of Russia and Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation; Vitaly Mutko, Russian Federation Minister of Sport, Tourism amd Youth Policy; Svetlana Zhurova, Vice President of the State Duma of the Russian Federation; Boris Gromov, Governor of the Moscow Region; Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee; and Irina Gromova, official coach for Russia, senior cross-country skiing and biathlon coach for the Paralympic Team of the Russian Federation.