Abu Dhabi to host first-ever Special Olympics Games in March

ABU DHABI: Secial Olympics UAE announced that Abu Dhabi will host the first-ever Special Olympics UAE Games from March 19-22, this year.

The announcement was made by Shamma Bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Special Olympics UAE Chair; Nasser Ismail, Assistant Under-secretary for Social Welfare Affairs at the Ministry of Community Development; Aref Al-awani, Secretary-general of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Talal Al Hashemi, Executive Director of Special Olympics UAE, at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. More than 650 athletes with intellectual disabilities from across the UAE will participate in these games, which will feature six different sports, including basketball, athletics, volleyball, badminton, swimming and powerlifting, and will see the hundreds of UAE nationals and residents who make up the UAE team going head-to-head against each other for three days of competition at the New York University Abu Dhabi.

An opening ceremony will take place on March 19 to officially open the games, with three days of competition taking place on March 20, 21 and 22 under the theme, “We are all one”. The UAE Games will also see the Healthy Athletes programme revisit Abu Dhabi from March 20 and 22, a Special Olympics programme that will provide free health examinationsforallathletescompetinginthegames.

As part of the celebrations leading up to the UAE Games, the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” will tour Abu Dhabi on March 14. The programme will also include an event for young athletes aged 2 to 7 years with and without intellectual disabilities.

An Inclusive Art Gallery will be organised to display artworks created by athletes with intellectual disabilities, accompanied by a number of artists and individuals concerned.

Shamma Al Mazrui said, “The recent World Games marked a turning point for People of Determination with intellectual disabilities across the UAE and the UAE Games will build on this by serving as an annual milestone for the expansion of the UAE’S commitment towards social inclusion and the empowerment of People of Determination.”

The UAE has made inclusivity a priority within its National Vision 2021. The term People of Determination was introduced in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as part of a new National Strategy for Empowering People with Disabilities.