The IPC President also committed to the IPC providing para-sport development support across 150 countries by 2029, advancing greater opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sport and physical activity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Andrew Parsons said: \u201cAt the IPC, we envision a future whereby every person with a disability has an opportunity to engage in Para-sport in whatever way they wish, whether recreationally or competitively. To achieve this, we need accessible infrastructure and equipment that makes sport possible.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAccess to Para-sport leads to greater inclusion across all sectors. Sport reduces the stigma and discrimination associated with disability. It empowers individuals, transforms attitudes, drives mobility, and leads to inclusive communities, better employment, health outcomes, and stronger economies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn my view, alongside government legislation and policy, access to, and participation in, sports for persons with disabilities can initiate tremendous societal change. Para sport can be the launch pad for transformational change and a more inclusive world for all, but this can\u2019t happen without accessible infrastructure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
During his address, Parsons described the Paralympic Games as \u201cthe world\u2019s most transformational sports event\u201d, highlighting how the event triggers major infrastructure improvements which benefit the whole of society.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSince Barcelona 1992, every edition of the Paralympic Games has led to transformational change,\u201d he said. \u201cHosting an event of this magnitude leads to governments, city mayors, and local authorities paying greater attention to the rights of persons with disabilities, kickstarting monumental infrastructure projects.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn 2013, when Tokyo was awarded the Paralympic Games, around 70 percent of the city\u2019s Metro stations were accessible. By the time of the Opening Ceremony in 2021, this number was close to 100 percent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cLast summer, Paris staged the most spectacular and impactful Paralympic Games in history. More than EUR 1.5 billion was invested by the national government specifically in disability inclusion initiatives across France. The Mayor of Paris described hosting the Games as driving an Accessibility Revolution in the City and the country.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAhead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, millions of Euros are being spent improving the accessibility of transport infrastructure in host cities and regions, as well as the 2,000-year-old Arena di Verona, which will host our Opening Ceremony,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
While Parsons spoke of his pride at the impact the Paralympic Games have on host cities and countries, he stressed investment into accessible infrastructure should not only be isolated to staging the world\u2019s third biggest sports event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe strongly believe Para sport is a vehicle to a more inclusive world, and infrastructure improvements \u2013 embedding accessible and inclusive design in every project from the start, should not only be a result of hosting the Paralympic Games,\u201d explained the IPC President.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
First held in 2018, the Global Disability Summit is a unique global mechanism that improves the lives of persons with disabilities, especially from the Global South. It was created to convene global, regional, and national stakeholders that share the same goal and vision for disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe strongly believe Para sport is a vehicle to a more inclusive world, and infrastructure improvements \u2013 embedding accessible and inclusive design in every project from the start, should not only be a result of hosting the Paralympic Games,\u201d explained the IPC President.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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