Earlier this week, Kiera Byland, BEM made historical past because the first-ever athlete with mental disabilities to deal with greater than 400 sport journalists from 5 completely different continents who attended the AIPS World Centennial Congress in Santa Susanna, Barcelona, Spain. The next is an excerpt from AIPS’s protection of Kiera’s advocacy for individuals with mental disabilities and her problem to attendees and viewers for extra inclusion in sports activities.
COMPELLING PLEA
With a compelling plea for unified inclusion, Byland implored journalists to leverage their platforms to create a extra inclusive world—one the place each athlete, no matter skill, is welcomed and celebrated. Highlighting the huge attain of Particular Olympics throughout greater than 170 international locations, she invited journalists to forge connections with native packages and amplify their impression by storytelling.
“We want extra sports activities media masking our Particular Olympics occasions and telling our tales. There are over 2 hundred million individuals with IDD world wide. The purpose is to achieve out to each one among them and their households, to convey them the reward of sport although Particular Olympics. And you’ll assist us,” she made her plea to the AIPS delegates.
“CHOOSE TO INCLUDE” In closing, Byland challenged the viewers to embrace inclusivity not solely in sports activities journalism but in addition of their organisations. With a easy but profound message—”Select to incorporate”—she referred to as upon each particular person to play a task in fostering a extra equitable and accepting society.
