Fil-jum tal-ftuħ uffiċjali tas-Special Olympics, ġie ffirmat ftehim storiku biex Malta, uffiċjalment issir waħda mill-firmatarji tas-Special Olympics Global Coalition u tara iżjed tisħiħ tal-inklużjoni f’pajjiżna.
Tkellimna ma’ mart il-Prim Ministru u President tas-Special Olympics Malta, Dr Lydia Abela, li spjegat x’se jkun qed ifisser tali ftehim.
“B’dan il-ftehim, Malta hi waħda mill-firmatarji tas-Special Olympics Global Coalition Agreement, li jfisser li Malta qiegħda tikkommetti ruħha li se tkun aktar inklussiva, kif dejjem kienet. Malta qed tikkommetti li f’dak kollu li tagħmel, fl-attivitajiet kollha, f’kull proġett, se nieħdu ħsieb li Malta tħares lejn l-inklussività.”
Il-President ta’ Special Olympics Malta, Lydia Abela
Il-President Reġjonali u Direttur Maniġerjali tas-Special Olympics, David Evangelista, qal li pajjiżna hu mudell anke għal pajjiżi kbar, fejn tidħol l-inklużjoni.
Hu semma wkoll kif xhieda ħajja ta’ dan, hu l-fatt li l-Ambaxxatur Nazzjonali tas-Special Olympics, Gilmour Borg, hu wkoll kunsillier elett f’pajjiżna.
“Not only of a commitment to inclusion, but also an innovative commitment. They have done many things that have shown the larger Special Olympics teams, examples, to emulate. One of those is leadership. The way Special Olympics Malta empowers athletes with intellectual disabilities, is remarkable. Infact, evidence of my colleague Gilmour, who’s not only a global messenger as a National Ambassador of Special Olympics, but also an elected official for the country. I think, in many ways Malta needs to be commended for their commitment and for their vision of a world that can truly be inclusive for people of all ability.”
Il-President Reġjonali ta’ Special Olympics, David Evangelista
Dwar dan, tkellem ukoll il-Ministru responsabbli mill-edukazzjoni u l-isports, Clifton Grima, li spjega kif iż-żewġ oqsma jmorru id f’id. Minbarra li spjega l-għan wara dan il-ftehim, semma numru ta’ inizjattivi li ttieħdu, fosthom li atleti tas-Special Olympics u l-Paralympics jistgħu jmorru fl-Iskola Nazzjonali tal-Isport.
“Numru ta’ inizjattivi li ħadna fis-sistema edukattiva tagħna fejn għandu x’jaqsam l-aspett edukattiv u anke l-aspett sportiv, aspett edukattiv li jrid jara l-potenzjal sħiħ, f’kull persuna. Allura, dawn it-tip ta’ inizjattivi jkomplu jikkonfermaw l-impenn tagħna, fuq kollox, ikompli jikkonferma l-fatt li qed ninvestu f’dan is-settur, biex nassiguraw li kull tifel u tifla jkun jista’ jilħaq il-potenzjal sħiħ tiegħu.”
Il-Ministru Clifton Grima
