Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang,
President, Special Olympics Singapore (SOSG)
Mr Shawn Lim,
Director, SportCares Foundation
Mr Marcus Tan,
Chief, Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore
Play Inclusive participants
1. Good afternoon. I am very happy to join you this afternoon for this year's Play Inclusive event. I am glad to see that Play Inclusive has returned to a full physical event this year, after two years of virtual events due to COVID-19. Thank you for keeping the spirit of Play Inclusive alive these past two years during the pandemic. Indeed, it is heartening to see all our athletes and participants face to face.
2. Play Inclusive is a meaningful initiative, organised by SOSG and SportCares Foundation, which provides a platform where athletes with special needs and their unified partners, or persons without disabilities, participate in sporting and skills challenges.
3. I would like to thank SOSG and SportCares Foundation for putting together such a meaningful initiative each year to promote inclusion in the community through sports, by pairing players with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team to train and play together. Our athletes are given opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
4. Many of you have trained hard and played together for the past few weeks. Some of you may even go on to represent Singapore in the future in major sporting competitions and events. In fact, earlier this month, 36 of our athletes represented Singapore in the ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia. They competed in matches such as badminton, goalball and boccia, all of which are included in Play Inclusive. I am especially proud of our Team Singapore athletes, who have worked very hard to push their boundaries in the sport, to qualify and represent Singapore at the Games. They flew our flag high, and achieved a total of 28 medals for Singapore!
5. Congratulations too to our Play Inclusive winners and I am heartened to see that all our athletes have demonstrated courage, resilience and have given their best for their matches. I hope that all of you will continue to pursue your passions, and fly our flag high in the future.
6. I wish Play Inclusive all the best for many years ahead! Thank you very much.