"Beyond Differences, United as One"... 2nd Jeju Disabled Sports Festival Opens

Opening Ceremony on April 24 Marks Start of Three-Day Event
More Than 2,000 Athletes to Compete Across 24 Disciplines

The 2nd Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Disabled Sports Festival, a sports event for people with disabilities in Jeju, will kick off on April 24 with an opening ceremony, launching three days of intense competition. As with last year, the event will be held before the Jeju Provincial Sports Festival, allowing participating athletes to demonstrate their skills in the best possible venue environment.

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Government Building.

Held under the slogan "Jeju Becoming One Through Challenges Beyond Differences," this festival will take place at 20 venues throughout Seogwipo City until April 26. More than 2,000 athletes will compete across 24 events, showcasing their abilities honed over time.

Notably, in eight disciplines—including basketball, lawn bowls, boccia, and sjoelen—there will be "Harmony Divisions" where athletes with and without disabilities compete together, realizing the value of unity through sports beyond differences.

The opening ceremony will be divided into three segments: a pre-ceremony cultural performance, the official ceremony, and a post-ceremony event. The pre-ceremony will feature diverse performances such as dance and musical acts, including an appearance by Yang Haneul, a singer from Jeju. During the official ceremony, there will be a parade of athletes, a rendition of the national anthem by visually impaired tenor Jeon Youngjin, the lighting of the torch, and a special performance wishing for the successful hosting of the 46th National Para Games, officially marking the start of the festival.

At the opening ceremony venue, various promotional and experiential booths focused on people with disabilities will be available, such as Braille experiences, assistive device exhibitions and hands-on activities, wearable robot demonstrations, and a sports bus experience.

The experiential booths at the opening ceremony aim to broaden the accessibility and possibilities of sports for people with disabilities through experiences with assistive and rehabilitation technologies, while also serving as an opportunity to expand the foundation for participation in everyday sports for people with disabilities.

Ryu Ilsun, Director of Culture, Sports, and Education of Jeju Province, said, "We will do our utmost in advance inspections so that participating athletes can focus on their competitions without inconvenience," adding, "We will make every effort to ensure that this festival becomes a celebration where everyone experiences the joy of achievement and embraces the value of inclusion."

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