Paju City Successfully Concludes the "36th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival 2025 Paju" Journey

Proving the City's Capabilities Through the Successful Hosting of Four Gyeonggi-do Comprehensive Sports Competitions

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province, announced on the 29th that it has successfully concluded the "Gyeonggi-do Comprehensive Sports Festival," which was held over two years starting from 2024, with the closing ceremony of the "36th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival 2025 Paju" on the 28th.

The 36th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival 2025 Paju held its closing ceremony on the 28th. Provided by Paju City

With this event, Paju City has sequentially hosted a total of four major sports competitions: the "14th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival for the Disabled" and the "70th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival" in 2024, as well as the "19th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival for the Disabled" and the "36th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival" in 2025. Through these achievements, Paju has firmly established its reputation as a leading sports city.

Paju was originally selected as the host city for the Gyeonggi-do Comprehensive Sports Festival in 2021. However, the event was canceled just one month before its scheduled opening due to the spread of COVID-19, causing significant setbacks.

Despite these challenges, Paju turned crisis into opportunity by successfully organizing consecutive provincial sports competitions from 2024 onward, thanks to thorough preparation and the cooperation of its citizens.

More than 50,000 people, including athletes, officials, and visitors from 31 cities and counties, visited Paju. The event was praised as a "venue of unity and celebration," thanks to the voluntary participation and mature civic spirit of the local residents. It also left a lasting impression as a festival where everyone, regardless of disability, came together as one.

The "19th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival for the Disabled" and the "36th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival," both held in September this year, marked the grand finale of the two-year series of events.

The Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival for the Disabled, held from the 12th to the 13th, featured 19 events and over 5,000 athletes, showcasing their determination and passion in overcoming disabilities. The Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival, held from the 26th to the 28th, brought together more than 20,000 sports enthusiasts for three days, creating a vibrant and harmonious celebration of athleticism.

The success of these events had a positive impact on the local community, as the influx of participants and visitors boosted the lodging, food service, transportation, and tourism sectors, significantly contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

By successfully hosting a series of comprehensive sports competitions, Paju City has further enhanced its public image. The identity of Paju as a "city where peace, ecology, culture, and sports coexist" was clearly demonstrated through these events. The active participation of citizens and the efforts of over 2,000 volunteers were key drivers of the competitions' success.

In addition, the close collaboration among Paju City, the Paju City (Disabled) Sports Association, Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeonggi Province (Disabled) Sports Association, and various sports organizations has been recognized as a "model for successful sports events."

Mayor Kim Kyeongil of Paju stated, "The successful completion of the four comprehensive sports competitions since 2024 was made possible thanks to the interest and cooperation of our citizens. Building on this experience, Paju City will further solidify its status as a sports city by expanding the base of sports for all and promoting balanced development in both community and professional sports."

Paju City plans to actively utilize the experience gained from these comprehensive sports competitions to further develop local sports in the future. The city aims to create an environment where citizens can enjoy sports in their daily lives, and to apply the operational know-how acquired from hosting these events to various cultural and tourism initiatives, thereby driving regional development.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.