Athletes of the Happy Faces Project, which went from success to success with the encouragement of disabled youth and children in sports within the scope of the Happy Faces Project, which was implemented in 2020, signed a very special program on December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

 

 

Under the coordination of the Happy Faces Project, the program held at the Provincial Cultural Center as part of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 03 December and attracted great interest from the citizens, the former Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız, Kocasinan District Governor İlhan Abay, Youth, and Sports Provincial Director Ali İhsan Kabakcı, Justice and Development Party Women Branch Head Fatma Timuçin, Provincial Head of the Nationalist Movement Party Adnan İncetoprak, Branch Managers, Afghan Refugee Solidarity Association (ARSA) President Dr. Zakira Hekmat, Club Managers, athletes, and more than 700 citizens attended.

 

The program started with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by a moment of silence. The program continued with the protocol speeches and continued with the plaque ceremony. Subsequently, the performances of special athletes and children with disabilities received great acclaim.

 

 

The president of ARSA, Dr. Zakira Hekmat stated the following in her protocol speech: December 3, 1992 is a day designated to draw attention to the problems of people with disabilities all over the world. There is no obstacle that people cannot overcome, it is us around them who create obstacles for them. We live in such an age that the physical obstacle is no longer an obstacle, the important thing is the obstacle in our pattern and in our minds. There are 1 billion disabled people in the world and we should not forget that every individual is a candidate for disability.

 

 

 

As ARSA Association, we met with the Happy Faces Project in 2020 and had the opportunity to work more closely with disabled individuals, we are pleased with our awareness activities and cooperation, and we will continue in the future. After the speeches, a plaque organized by the Kocasinan District Governorship Happy faces project, the Ministry of National Education, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports was presented.

 

 

 

Since the 'Happy Faces Project' has come to life, nearly 400 disabled individuals have been supported by sports and our children participating in the project have won many medals for our province and our country by competing in national and international competitions as licensed athletes.

 

 

At the end of the program, the gifts specially prepared by our association were presented to 60 disabled athletes who won medals in different sports branches by the President of the Association, Dr. Zakira Hekmat, and board member Mr. Azizi.

 

Then, the Protocol members, coaches, teachers, students, and athletes took a souvenir photo.