UN and International Paralympic Committee strengthen cooperation
December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On this occasion, the International Paralympic Committee and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have joined efforts by signing a cooperation agreement.
The agreement, signed by President of the International Paralympic Committee Andrew Parsons and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, provides for the joint work of the two organizations to launch a global communications campaign for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo next year.
“Given that the Paralympic Games firmly established as the third largest sporting event in the world, we want the Tokyo 2020 to be more than just a show of spectacular sports, but also a platform to promote the human rights agenda for people with disabilities”, Parsons said.
He expressed the intention to use the Paralympic Games to help change the attitude towards one billion people with disabilities, highlight the challenges they face on a daily basis.
“The Paralympic Games really showed that change begins with sports, and we hope to use the future games, not just Tokyo 2020, to empower social transformation and create a more inclusive society for all”, he added.
It should be noted that the International Paralympic Committee has previously partnered with the International Disability Alliance to promote campaigns to protect the rights of people with disabilities. New partnerships will be announced shortly.
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