Today, the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports marked the International Sports Day, 28 May, with a special programme. Athletes, students and all sports enthusiasts gathered on the Promenade, which has today been transformed into the Sports Promenade, with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and sports as a means of positive social change.

At the very beginning, the guests were welcomed by the Federal Minister of Culture and Sports, Sanja Vlaisavljević. The Minister announced the special guests of today’s event – representatives of the Special Olympics of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Special Olympics of Europe, and gave the floor to the President of the Special Olympics for Europe and Eurasia, David Evangelista.

Mr. Evangelista expressed his gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports for understanding the needs of people with intellectual disabilities to actively participate in sports and all social activities, as well as for providing opportunities for personal and professional development. In this context, he expressed his satisfaction that he had the opportunity to visit the workplace of Edna Šunjić, a medalist at the Special Olympics and an employee of this Ministry, and to see for himself a strong example of inclusion, the only one of its kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Evangelista further emphasized that it was precisely such events at which the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports briought together representatives of institutions, athletes and citizens around a common goal – the promotion of sports values ​​and inclusion, that best reflect the spirit and mission of the Special Olympics.

The Executive Director of the Special Olympics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kada Delić-Selimović, thanked the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports for its systematic support of the Special Olympics and recognition of its importance, emphasizing that the Special Olympics of BiH would not have been able to survive last year without that support. She also emphasized the importance of such events for the development of society, emphasizing that sport has the power to break down barriers and create new opportunities.

After the introductory speeches, the most memorable moment of the programme followed. The Olympians, Amina Halilović and Rasim Bajrić, recited the Special Olympics oath, which symbolizes the courage and perseverance of athletes, as well as the spirit of competition. The words of the oath “Let me win! But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt!” resonated strongly along the Promenade and were etched in the memory of all those present.

The programme of the International Sports Day celebration was enriched with musical numbers performed by Elena Ivković and dance performance by the Sports Dance Club “Bolero”.

The audience was really delighted by the demonstration of fitness exercises by the professor of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Lejla Šebić, accompanied by motivating music.

The fitness exercises were followed by a presentation of the new sports discipline tekball, which turned the official part of the programme into informal socializing, trying out tekball and performing physical exercises.