CHICAGO, Ill. /eNewsChannels/ — The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced today that youth and coaches from Brazil will be in Chicago, Illinois this week for a sports exchange program. In partnership with WorldChicago, 12 athletes with disabilities and eight coaches, with and without disabilities, will participate in activities on inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities.
From July 17–27, 2013, the Brazilian athletes will meet with the Commissioner of the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, who will discuss Chicago’s current disability rights policies and describe future challenges. The group will learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act and other legislation that impact persons with disabilities in the United States. The group will participate in adaptive sports such as swimming, sailing, and softball, and visit a university campus to learn about accessibility issues in U.S. schools.
This Sports Grants program supports the U.S. Department of State’s global promotion and practices that respect diversity regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability; and recognition that persons with disabilities have the same rights as non-disabled persons and must be provided access, opportunity, inclusion, and full participation on an equal basis with others.
To learn more about the U.S. Department of State’s sports diplomacy programs, please visit: http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/sports-diplomacy.
