PM’S SPEECH AT THE INAUGURATION
OF 6TH INTERNATIONAL ABILYMPICS
The following is
the text of the speech of the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari
Vajpayee at the inauguration of 6th International Abilympics
here today:
"It is with
great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to you all, particularly
to our friends from overseas. Over the next few days you will
all be participating in various events of the International Abilympics.
You will display your diverse skills and capabilities. You shall
be winning gold, silver and bronze medals for yourselves and for
your respective countries. And we will have the privilege of seeing
the power of your determination, the strength of your spirit and
the rewards of your perseverance.
Once again, your
performances will impart a new meaning to the words "I can
and I will".
I am happy that,
over the next few days, over 1500 participants from around the
world will learn from each other, get to know each other and in
general establish bonds of friendship. These bonds will also help
in fostering better relations between countries.
Today I recall how
deeply I was touched and impressed by what I saw at the first
National Abilympics, which I had the pleasure of inaugurating
at this very stadium last year in November. I had congratulated
the Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment, Human Resource
Development, the Delhi Government, as well as the National Abilympics
Association of India for their initiative in organizing the 6th
International Abilympics in India. I am glad that their hard work
of the past three years has come to fruition. The moment of pride
and happiness is here.
I had promised then
and I am reiterating once again, our Government’s firm commitment
and support to all endeavors, which will enable our disabled brethren
to live with dignity, equality and justice.
It is rightly said
that the people who are called "disabled", are not really
disabled but only "differently abled". They have amazing
potentialities, which often remain latent, undeveloped and unrecognized.
But throughout history, and in all societies, there are examples
of disabled persons having shown exceptional abilities and achieved
outstanding successes.
Franklin Roosevelt,
who was elected president of the United States of America four
times, suffered from polio. David Blunkett, who is Britain’s Home
Secretary now, is blind. Thomas Edison, the great inventor of
electric bulb, was deaf and had learning disability. And then
we have the example of Stephen Hawking, the wheelchair-bound physicist,
who is acclaimed as one of the greatest scientists of our time.
It is the moral duty
of society to acknowledge and identify the different abilities
of the disabled, and also to create such conditions as would enable
them to develop their potentialities to the fullest. Since their
vocational, artistic and sports skills mostly go unnoticed, it
is necessary to provide visibility and recognition to them. In
this endeavour, national and international events like Abilympics
have been making a significant contribution.
Friends, this
event, together with the observance of International Day of Disabled
in less than a fortnight from now – December 3rd, to
be precise – provides the right occasion for us to reflect on
the condition of the disabled population in the world. Of the
five hundred million disabled people in the world, nearly four-fifths
live in developing countries. And within developing countries,
many of them are victims of grinding poverty, social isolation
and despair. This clearly shows that the problems of disabled
people must be given centrality in our development strategies
– both internationally and within our own respective countries.
We in India fully
recognize our responsibility in addressing these problems, cognizant
of the fact that an unacceptably large number of our population
suffers from different kinds of disabilities. India has enacted
legislation to protect the rights of the disabled. We are taking
steps for its effective implementation.
However, as in other
countries, governmental action alone cannot meet the demands of
the situation. Working for the welfare and empowerment of disabled
people requires enormous sensitivity, patience and commitment.
We have a large number of service-oriented organisations that
exhibit these qualities in their silent but noble work. Today
I would like to sincerely applaud all of them. I would like the
closest possible partnership to be forged between governmental
agencies and all such organizations in the voluntary sector.
But beyond the work
of governmental agencies and voluntary organizations, there is
also a need to spread awareness in society. Prejudice and apathy
towards the disabled must be countered. All societies have their
own fine traditions of care and compassion for the needy and the
marginalized. We must preserve and further promote these traditions.
An area that demands
our special and sustained attention is skill-development and employment
opportunities for the disabled. The amazing vocational skills
on display at the Abilympics are an ample proof of what can be
achieved for their economic empowerment. What we need is multi-sectoral
involvement of governmental bodies, businesses in the private
sector, vocational education institutes, and banks and financial
institutions. We also need to increase the utilization of technological
resources available to expand the scope of appropriate training
and enhancement of skills, which would in turn open up job opportunities
for them.
In fact, the Indian
Army established the first full-fledged artificial limbs manufacturing
center shortly after the end of World War II. Today, there are
several such centers both in the government and non-governmental
sectors providing aids and appliances to those in need. These
institutions have also encouraged research into developing latest
lightweight and sturdy materials to make artificial limbs and
assistive devices. Our Respected President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
has provided farsighted leadership to this scientific and technological
endeavour.
Speaking of the rapid
technological advances that we are witnessing today, it would
perhaps be pertinent to urge the scientific community to devote
more attention to genome research in order to promote early detection
of congenital abnormalities and to help develop appropriate interventions.
Before concluding,
I have a special word of appreciation for all the participating
teams from abroad. I know that it has not been easy for you to
travel long distances to take part in this event. You have made
the effort and I hope that you will find it worthwhile. For us,
in India, it is an honour to welcome you all. I do hope that during
your stay, you will get an opportunity to visit many interesting
places and to savour the hospitality of our people.
With these words,
I have great pleasure in inaugurating the 6th International
Abilympics.
Thank you."
