Paris 2024 hopes to raise awareness for people with disabilities among youths

As the Paris Paralympic Games is raising awareness among the new generation about the people with disabilities, reported Xinhua.

"We believe that the Paralympic Games is a unique opportunity to promote a more inclusive society and change the way the new generation think about disabilities," said Marie Barsacq, Paris 2024 Executive Director of Legacy and Impact, at the daily press conference here on Saturday.

Barsacq mentioned that Olympic and Paralympic Week 2024, a joint initiative involving nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, and universities in France, emphasized inclusivity at its core. The initiative aimed to build awareness of the Paralympic movement, with non-disabled participants encouraged to team up with the disabled competitors.

"It concluded with 5 million young people involving in," Barsacq said.

Barsacq also noted that, in addition to bringing the Paralympics to schools, they will ensure that 250,000 youngsters aged 6 to 18 attend the games in person during the Paris Paralympic Games.

"The first group of 500 students will go to Roland Garros on the first day of school on Monday while 1,000 will head to the Aquatics Center and interact with athletes in the Paralympic Village."

"We also launched a program from April to June in schools to encourage students write letters to the athletes. And today, we asked the athletes to write back. As you can see, we really focus our job to change perception about disabilities of the new generation."

"The city of Paris has already committed to promote accessibilities in a wider society after the games, it's a long process, but it will of course go on," Barsacq said.