POCOG celebrates the 1st ‘Paralympic Day’ event

The PyeongChang Organising Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) has launched a new Paralympic Day celebration event open to the public which the organising committee plans to host every year until Games time.

The inaugural edition took place on 14-15 March 2015 in downtown Seoul, South Korea, at the Gwanghwamun Square with a resounding success. About 500 attendees including CHO Yang Ho, POCOG President, KIM Jong Deok, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, KIM Sung-Il, President of the Korean Paralympic Committee (KPC), NA Kyung-won, Governing Board member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), foreign ambassadors in Korea, KIM Yuna, Ambassador of PyeongChang 2018, and civil participants created quite a wave of excitement.

This annual appointment will help promote enthusiasm among the public for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, while also enhancing awareness and understanding of the challenges of competing in high level sports events with physical impairments.

The Paralympic Day celebration has its own signature slogan of “It’s your turn!”

The first day of the event this year featured a Proclamation Ceremony with a PR Booth and exhibitions of para sports equipment among other things. The ceremony also had a Wheelchair Curling and Ice Sledge Hockey experiencing zone for those in attendance to have the chance to see what it feels like to get into the sports. After the ceremony, there were various events and shows for the public to see and participate in.

Though the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games are still three years away, POCOG is committed to hosting the most successful Paralympic Winter Games and to raising awareness about Paralympic sports and showcasing the values of the Paralympic Movement.