OCTOBER 2021 SPECIAL OLYMPICS CARIBBEAN SPORTS MINISTERS FORUM DECLARATION

The Government of Dominica through The Minister for Sports, Culture and Community Development, acting on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica will signal its continued commitment to supporting the aspirations of athletes with intellectual disabilities by signing the October 2021 Special Olympics Caribbean Sports Ministers Forum Declaration. This is in further recognition of sport as a powerful tool at both the individual and societal level to develop inclusive communities and to promote equal opportunities.

The delegates of the October 2021 Special Olympics Caribbean Ministers of Sports Inclusion Forum have resolved to create a regional coalition of government leaders who will work with Special Olympics athlete leaders to use sport as a platform to contribute to the full achievement of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to develop clear action plans and specific budget allocations to do so.

The Resolutions of the Declaration focus on ensuring full inclusion of athletes with intellectual disabilities in community sports structures, facilitating the provision of Special Olympics training for coaches and officials in national sports federations, supporting national Special Olympics organizations to hold annual competition events, enabling Special Olympic athletes to participate in international competitions, encouraging National Olympics and Paralympic Committees to support their fellow athletes with intellectual disabilities and promoting through public relations and advocacy campaigns, the rights and accomplishments of athletes with intellectual disabilities. The resolutions also aim to collaborate across sectors with Ministries of Health to use sport as a means to improve physical fitness and emotional wellness and address health disparities for people with intellectual disabilities.

It is expected that support for the above resolutions will lead to witness of a world where athletes with intellectual disabilities are included and can harness the benefits of inclusive sport participation as a platform for human rights and sustainable development for all.

The Declaration which has been approved by the Government of Dominica will be signed by the Minister responsible for sports, Honourable Roselyn Paul, on Friday, November 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.