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ABU DHABI/ WAM
H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, witnessed the announcement of ‘Move United’, an accelerator programme led by the Department of Community Development and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
‘Move United’ supports the acceleration of the the Universal Access Pillar, specifically the initiative of universal access to inclusive community sports, in the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination (PoD) and is launched with the support of Authority for Social Contribution – Ma’an, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and Special Olympics UAE.
The programme is designed to foster PoD participation in inclusive community sports by offering a series of training sessions tailored to individuals with various abilities and needs from different disability types. It also encourages a healthier lifestyle for PoD in line with the World Health Organization’s requirements for daily physical activity.
Move United was launched at Abu Dhabi Corniche during the Abu Dhabi Run & Ride event. The launch was led by Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Salama Al Ameemi, Director-General of the Authority of Social Contribution -Ma’an, Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, Dr. Layla Al Hayas, Executive Director of the Community Development Sector at the Department of Community Development, and several PoD, their families, and friends.
Eng. Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, said: “As the regulatory body for the social sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, The Department of Community Development works towards increasing the level of community participation in community sporting activities for individuals with diverse abilities. The launch of Move United, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council represents the framework of this vision. We believe that supporting People of Determination in taking part in community sports activities, not only achieves inclusion, but also ensures healthy lifestyles, and offers them equal opportunities to reach their fullest potential in sports and beyond, as active members of the community.”
He continued “People of Determination are vital partners in the success of the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination, that was launched by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2020. And this launch underscores the importance of their full participation in community sports, cultural activities, and other social events to achieve the objectives of the strategy.”
His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The support of our wise leadership, the continuous directives of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s Board of Directors and its plans and goals for people with disabilities, have prepared us to launch this important national programme,”
Al Awani added, “The collaboration with the Department of Community Development and all stakeholder reflects a culture of collaboration and team spirit, to launch Move United with two key sports: running and cycling. We will also be taking strong steps to offer more sports in the next phases of the programme. Having seen the strong participation today at the launch, we anticipate that Move United will enjoy great success because there is great demand for it.”
Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Department of Community Development and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council in launching ‘Move United’ across Abu Dhabi. Our specialist teams will provide technical support, conduct train-the-trainer sessions, and awareness sessions for People of Determination and their families throughout the year to facilitate their participation in the program.”
‘Move United’ is led by key principles including, mainstreaming disability, family cohesion, ensuring geographical coverage, engaging in community interventions, considering individual needs and abilities, and reaching all age groups. Mainstreaming disability, as outlined in the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination, involves eliminating barriers that hinder the participation and integration of people with disabilities.
Earlier this year, the Department of Community Development, in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, introduced the Sports for All Policy to promote physical activity and encourage sports participation for all individuals, including those requiring support. The policy aims to facilitate physical activity and sports for all, promoting inclusion, empowerment, and accessibility.
‘Move United’ reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment towards achieving inclusion and empowering People of Determination, in line with the Sports for All Policy and the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination.
‘Move United’ targets families of people with disabilities, to ensure their capability to provide the necessary care for their Children of Determination, and to encourage and empower family members themselves to participate, to achieve inclusion and family cohesion. The programme also aims to accelerate the Universal Access to inclusive community sports, led by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination. It targets a 5% participation rate of People of Determination in community sports in the short term, the percentage is set to increase to 7% in the long term.
The principle of mainstreaming disability, stipulated in the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination, requires removing environmental, organisational, and behavioural barriers that prevent the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in various activities. As for community-based interventions, they are carried out through the combined efforts of various relevant entities and institutions, including Special Olympics UAE, which will provide technical support for sports trainings, Abu Dhabi’s specialised sports clubs, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Integrated Transport Center, Authority for Social Contribution – Ma’an and Abu Dhabi Government Media Office all contribute to the Move United programme with the objective of raising the level of sports participation for all members of Abu Dhabi community.