International Paralyimic Committee Chief says Tokyo 2020 Games will be most important in history, bringing back “persons with disabilities to the center of the inclusion agenda”

From Kyodo

May 16 2021

TOKYO – Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, speaking to Kyodo said the Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 Tokyo Games would be the most important Paralympics in history, given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on people with disabilities around the world.

“They have been marginalized for decades and centuries,” he said, adding that the pandemic has highlighted inequalities faced by people with disabilities.

“So we need to bring back persons with disabilities to the center of the inclusion agenda. We want to change the behavior of society towards persons with disabilities at a global level,” he said. “We are very ambitious. We want the games to change the world.”