GR24 PSLL - Inclusion - Athletes of Paralympics

The Paralympic Games are not only an integral part of the worldwide sporting calendar, but they also play an important role in inspiring others to think differently about disability as the largest event worldwide for driving social change.

As the Games grow in size and scale, their transformational impact on society is also increasing. Over the years, the Paralympics have developed a strong track record for challenging deep-rooted beliefs regarding disability and acting as a catalyst for changing the approach to social inclusion in the countries where the Games are held.

Thanks to the Paralympic Games, people in all over the world now have a greater awareness of persons with physical impairments. Citizens with an impairment receive more respect and attention. They enjoy a better social status, improved social security, better educational opportunities, easier access to employment and much more.

Our students searched about an athlete that took part in Paralympics. He is Dimitris Karipidis. At the age of 7, he went to register for swimming but, because his bones are very fragile due to osteogenesis imperfecta type III, from which he suffers, he suffered a fracture and left. 15 years later, he returned and became a World Champion and Paralympian. He is a Greek Paralympic Swimming Champion, 4th Paralympic Swimming Champion at the Tokyo Paralympic Games and 3-time Silver Paralympic Swimming World Champion, category s1.

Since it was not possible to meet him in person, students prepared some questions and we received the answers via email. His words were a true inspiration for everyone

A presentation of the interview can be found here