INDONESIA 2018 ASIAN PARA GAMES

Third Asian Para Games will take place In Jakarta, Indonesia from October 6-13, 2018. Around 3000 athletes from 43 countries are expected to take part in 15 Paralympic and 3 non Paralympic  sports. The Games will take place in the same venues as the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games — the multi-purpose Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in central Jakarta. The official mascot of the 2018 Asian Para Games is a Bondol eagle named Momo, which was chosen to represent motivation and mobility.

The 2018 Asian Para Games is a moment where we all celebrate our friendship by showing our determination and achievements. We also want to highlight humanity.

Asian Paralympic Committee president Majid Rashed said it was important to improve the welfare of people with disability, who are still poorly presented in Para sports, across the continent. “We know that many people with disabilities in Asia struggle with mobility issues, let alone access to sports,” said Rashed, adding the Asian Para Games holds a pivotal role in changing lives of disabled people and challenging stigma in Asia.

We were born from different tribes, different religions and beliefs, different races, different groups and many other differences including our nation’s family members with special needs. We should show our persistence and achievements. We strive to uphold humanity

Given its lack of public infrastructure and facilities for people with disabilities, hosting the Para Games is definitely much more challenging for Jakarta than hosting the Asian Games.

To facilitate the transportation of athletes from the athletes village to the event venues, the organizer is providing 300 disability-access Transjakarta buses, consisting of 200 low-floor and 100 high-floor vehicles. The Jakarta Police have extended the odd-even traffic policy — except on weekends — to meet the maximum 50-minute travel time for athletes.

Home crowd support is pivotal to our athletes, and Para Games tickets for several favorite sports like para swimming and badminton have sold out. We hope the Asian Para Games will not only open our eyes to our brothers and peoples sporting achievements, but also serve as a lesson for the government, the private sector and the public at large on realizing equal opportunities and disability rights. We often mistreat people with disabilities — often unconsciously — by looking at them with pity. Rather than sympathy, what they deserve is our respect: the very same respect we give to anyone who pursues and fulfills their dreams.

The 2018 Asian Para Games is more than a competition because this event involves humanity that embraces diversity and eliminates all stigmas.