Two-Day International Forum Concludes in UAE

A two-day international forum on Sports for People with a Disability which attracted people from around the world has come to a conclusion in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Organized by the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the forum saw discussions on the obstacles and challenges facing sports for people with a disability.

National Paralympic Committees from across Asia together with a number of sporting federations attended the event which was broadcast live on Abu Dhabi Sports TV channel.

Amongst the topics discussed over 9 and 10 May was the role the media has to play in growing Paralympic sports and the Movement, professionalism and how to create a suitable environment for sports for people with a disability.

Guest speakers included Craig Spence, the IPC’s Media and Communications Senior Manager and Henry Storgaard, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).

Spence highlighted how NPCs and sports should focus on raising the profile of likely medal contenders ahead of London 2012 whilst Storgaard gave a presentation on the tremendous work done by the CPC around the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

IWAS Secretary General and Executive Director Maura Strange was also in attendance and gave a talk on professionalism as did Malini Rajasagaran, the Secretary General of the Asian Paralympic Committee.

Amongst those who left the forum impressed was Dato’ Zainal Abu Zarin, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee who commented:

“I welcome the UAE Disabled Sports Federation and the UAE NPC in their efforts to put on an event of this size as it is all for the benefit of the Paralympic Movement.

“It was an eye opening two days as it gave us all a good impression of what areas we are weak in and what areas we still have a lot of work to do.

“Hopefully we can now take the learnings from this forum and put them into practice.”