Asunción, October 5, 2024 – The International Forum on Sport for Development, an event held within the framework of the fourth Special Olympics Latin American Games, calls on society to recognize the transformative power of sport to promote social inclusion, health, education and gender equality. and the general well-being of people with intellectual disabilities. The Games will be held in Asuncion, Paraguay, starting October 4y To 12y.
The Forum, supported by the Government of the Republic of Paraguay, Special Olympics Latin America, UNESCO, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and inaugurated by the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, aims to address this problem. The persistent barriers faced by people with intellectual disabilities in Latin America give rise to the following calls for action:
• Empowering people with intellectual disabilities through sports
• Building accessible infrastructure
• Promoting comprehensive education
• Access to quality health care
• Data, research and impact investing
• Progress in acting and appearance
this Call to action It seeks to mobilize governments, NGOs, private sector leaders, educators and sports organizations to join forces in promoting the inclusion of people with IDD through collaborative actions and strategic investment strategies. It is based on the recommendations of experts and sector leaders who have identified the need for more integrated policies and increased investment for inclusion.
This forum also addressed sport as a key tool for achieving sustainable development goals, especially in the areas of health, education, gender equality, human mobility, poverty eradication, and building resilient societies by promoting equal opportunities.
Likewise, it analyzed how sport can be used as a tool to empower people with intellectual disabilities, enhance their participation in society, and ensure the full exercise of their rights.
Finally, this forum sought a commitment to developing and promoting a comprehensive and sustainable approach to sport that benefits all people, regardless of their abilities.
National and international entities and executives participated in the forum, such as Timothy Shriver Kennedy, President of Special Olympics International; Anna Maria Bayardi, Director, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity, CAF; Jaime Pizarro, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Paraguay; Ray Quiñonez, Minister of Sports, Puerto Rico; Fabricio Oliveira, President of Lions Club International; Sima Sami Pahos, Executive Director of the United Nations, and Luis Ramírez, Minister of Education of Paraguay, to name a few.
