IMM organized a special event for Down Syndrome Awareness Day. Children with Down Syndrome from all over Istanbul had a day full of sports by experiencing the excitement of competition. At the end of the day when all participants were awarded with medals, a basketball friendly match was organized between mixed teams.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Youth and Sports Directorate and Sports Istanbul brought together children with down syndrome who do sports in their facilities with a special event. In the event, in which individuals with Down syndrome, families and sports volunteers participated, together with individuals with down syndrome doing sports in IMM's facilities, the children both competed and had fun in many branches in the track created for them in addition to athletics. In the program held in Çekmeköy Sports Complex, İBB Youth and Sports Manager İlker Öztürk and Sports Istanbul General Manager Renay Onur did not leave the children alone.
SPORT MAKES IT BEAUTIFUL
Speaking on the special day where all participants were awarded with medals, İBB Director of Youth and Sports İlker Öztürk said that individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with Down syndrome, are struggling despite all difficulties. Öztürk pointed out that children with the syndrome improve their social lives when they integrate with sports.
Renay Onur, General Manager of Sports Istanbul, a subsidiary of IMM, said that the event, which was held on the occasion of March 21, Down Syndrome Awareness Day, brought together children doing sports in 12 facilities. Saying, “I hope there will be no need to commemorate and remind this day for awareness,” Onur said, “We want to see more individuals with Down syndrome in social life. We know that sports also play an important role in this regard. For this reason, we will do our best to see you more in our facilities.”
FRIENDSHIP WINS
In the final of the day, mixed basketball teams were formed among the children who came to the program with the participation of Öztürk and Onur. The children, who had the opportunity to put their training into practice and to display what they learned from their trainers on the parquet, sweated in the friendly match in which the scoreboard was not activated.
113 THOUSAND SESSIONS
İBB organizes sports trainings in 5 branches in its facilities for individuals with down syndrome. In addition, all disabled groups can do sports in 26 IMM sports facilities. Last year, 5 thousand 312 sessions of sports services were provided in different branches at the IMM facilities, where 113 thousand 647 people with disabilities came. This year, it is aimed to increase both the content and capacity of the sessions.