Paralympic School Day Revisits Spain

In the capital of Ripolles County in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain, students were brought together for a vibrant Paralympic School Day on 21 April. 24 Apr 2009 By IPC

The programme in Ripoll had a total of four primary schools participating, two private and two public, with students in the fifth class. The students at the Paralympic School Day were able to take part in activities such as practicing actual Paralympic sports like Football 5-a-Side and 7-a-Side, Goalball, Ice Sledge Hockey, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Curling. Students also had the chance to participate in a Wheelchair obstacle circuit.

Along with Paralympic sporting activities, students attended a PowerPoint presentation of Paralympic Sport and a Q&A from four athletes with a disability.

Chairperson of the IPC Alpine Skiing Sport Technical Committee Sylvana Mestre was at the event and said the students were able to learn more about the Paralympic Movement during the Paralympic School Day.

The event was organized with the help of the Department of Disabilities of the Regional Council, the Municipal Service of sports, the Catalan Federation for people with a disability, and the Association Play and Train.

The Paralympic School Day (PSD) is an educational programme initiated by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), with the aim of creating awareness and understanding in schools about people with a disability. The PSD is a set of activities that educate youth about Paralympic Sport, individual differences and disability issues in a fun and playful environment. These activities can be organized during a normal school day and target an audience of young students, ages 6-15.