It started mini-Olympiad for people with disabilities

Vushtrri, 25 June 2016 – At the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety (KAPS), today started mini-Olympiad for people with disabilities. At the opening of the mini-Olympiad took part Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Arban Abrashi, Director General of the Academy Ismail Smakiqi, the commander of KFOR General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, chief of the OSCE mission Jan Claude Schlumberger, head of Paralympics Committee, Njomza Emini and other representatives from local and international institutions.

Njomza Emini, president of the Paralympic Committee highly appreciated the holding of competitions for persons with special needs. She said is being made a progress in the recognition of Paralympic committee of internationals.

Emini said that holding of mini-Olympiad gives each contestant the opportunity to show themselves, "Your competitions will be evaluated with the cup. I wish you all success in the two-day competition".

OSCE Ambassador in Kosovo, Jean-Claude Schlumberger said mini-Olympic games are a wonderful event; it is an excellent example of how sports and networks can make a difference for children and their lives.

Schlumberger speaking about the importance mini-Olympic competitions, he said that such events allow competitors to show their skills and personal talents and participate in many sports activities.

Events such as today's event should focus on abilities rather than disabilities to help increase public awareness of the importance of respecting the rights of all people to show the capabilities that have ", said Schlumberger.
In order to have result Schlumbergersaid that Kosovo institutions should deal with cases of discrimination, because persons with special needs to feel more involved and better.

“"We all need to work together to improve the situation of persons with disabilities. We will share with you the best practices associated with international and local legal standards on non-discrimination of persons with disabilities and to implement these standards in practice, "he said.

Thanking all those who worked on the organization of organizing this mini-olipiade, OSCE Ambassador Schlumberger said that such events should be organised always.

KFOR Commander General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta said he was happy to be part of this important event. On this occasion thanked KFOR for their commitment to contribute to the realization of this activity. “Also these activities  enables us what we can do together. This event is one of the most important activities in Kosovo", said Miglietta.

Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Arban Abrashi, said that the organization of mini-Olympics, activity which now takes the traditional form, has a special importance in our society.  Abrashi said that such activities raise awareness of all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

Minister Abrashi thanked KFOR, Head of the OSCE Mission Schlumberger, and all other supporters. During the speech Abrashi stressed thanks the importance of organizing the mini-Olympics,  thanks to events like this especially the ministry of labor by helping it to develop better policies to take initiative to employment,  training as well as the initiative for the amendment of the law, rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

At the end Minister Abrashi thanked the Director General of the Academy Ismail Smakiqi for continued support of the mini-Olympiad.

Director General of the Kosovo Academy for Public Safety Ismail Smakiqi, welcomed the participants stressing that in the Academy mini-Olympiad for people with disabilities is a very important event gaining the status of a traditional activity.

He said that the Academy is always ready to support and help each citizen of the Republic of Kosovo. ‘’Self organization of mini-Olympiad shows the importance of inclusion and provision of equal opportunities for every member of our society", said Smakiqi.

At the end Smakiqi welcomed all the institutions that have supported the organizing of this event, expressing special thanks to the security institutions as the Kosovo police, KFOR and other agencies who were present in the support and assistance for participants in mini-Olympiad.

Mini-Olympiad "Kosovo 2016" is organized by Para-Olympic Committee of Kosovo and OPFAKOS "Parent and Child", and is supported by Italian KFOR, OSCE and KAPS.