Luanda - The minister of Youth and Sports, Palmira Barbosa, said Wednesday in Luanda that adapted sports have projected the name of Angola around the world, through the results it has achieved in international competitions.
The minister said the achievements in athletics and the fact that football for amputees has won the World Championship once and two became twice runners up in this competition demonstrate that.
Palmira Barbosa - who was speaking at a sports activity held at Luanda’s Coqueiros stadium, which included the presence of the chief diversity and inclusion officer for the United States Department of State, Gina Abercombie-Winstanley - praised paralympic athletes for being a real strength and a school of life.
The former National Handball Team captain praised the US State Department's initiative to interact and learn more about adapted sports in the country.
"Gestures like these we are witnessing today become a motivational way for the Paralympic Committee to overcome the challenges that coming ahead", Ms Barbosa said.
Gina Abercombie-Winstanley, on her turn, said she was touched with the stories of self-improvement she heard from paralympic athletes that are always accompanied by success.
The US official said that diplomacy takes advantage of the passion shared by athletes to encourage inclusion in diverse communities around the world, adding that her department strives to promote diversity, quality, inclusion and accessibility.
Gina Abercombie-Winstanley informed that such programmes also promote the United States' commitment to empower women and girls, strengthen resilience against extremist influences and develop leadership skills.
The US official added that her country’s sports diplomacy programmes include a variety of sports such as basketball, skateboarding, football, martial arts and sports for disabled in over a hundred countries.
She then revealed that the Government of the United States of America hopes to continue to collaborate with the Angolan government as catalysts for change.
She congratulated the football team for amputees for finishing in second position in the 2022 World Cup held in Turkey, as well as other paralympic athletes.
The event was also attended, besides other national sports leaders, by the US Ambassador to Angola, Tulinabo Mushingi, the president of the Angolan Paralympic Committee, Leonel da Rocha, and officials of the Youth and Sports Ministry.
