The Hindu : 30 nations confirm participation in 'abilympics'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 21, 2003

International

International

30 nations confirm participation in 'abilympics'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI SEPT. 20. About 1500 differently abled people from over 30 countries have confirmed their participation in the International `Abilympics'— the Olympics of vocational skills for persons with disabilities — to be hosted in New Delhi from November 23 to 29. India was chosen to host the sixth edition of the International event (organised every four years), after the Indian delegation of 14 participants returned from Prague with three gold and three bronze medals last time.

The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will inaugurate the event and the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has extended an invitation to the participants for an interactive meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during the week, according to an official release.

The event will showcase the abilities of the disabled in over 45 competitions to be held under three categories: vocational skills (cane technology, PC assembly, computer programming, CAD, ceramics, tailoring, photography, silk hand painting, floral arrangement, painting, poster designing, carpentry etc.) leisure and living skills (knitting, chess, embroidery, batik etc.) and events for children (card designing, LEGO, jigsaw puzzles, painting, cartooning, origami etc).

"People from all over the world must realise that a child born with a certain problem should be called physically challenged than be referred to as handicapped. The reaction shouldn't be patronising, treat them as people," veteran actor Sashi Kapoor, chosen as the ambassador for the upcoming `Abilympics', said, at a press conference at the Vidya Sagar Institute (formerly Spastics Society of India) on Saturday.

George Abraham, vice president (North) of the National Abilympic Association of India (NAAI), said that winning would qualify the disabled for employment. "Unfortunately, our society is designed for the fittest. The fittest survive only in the jungle. Since our society isn't a jungle, it is time to be more sensitive to the disabled," he said. The Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment and Human Resource Development were supporting the NAAI in organising the mega event, its vice president (South), Poonam Natarajan, said adding that the participants from Vidya Sagar were excited in view of the event.

Actress Revathy said that it was heartening that children with disability from all over the world will meet and know about each other's vocational ability and talent.

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