The 3rd GaituzSport Discussion Summit “Weaving networks for inclusion via Physical Activity and Sport” was held at Iberdrola Tower in Bilbao with Basque Government, Bizkaia Provincial Council, Laboral Kutxa and Kirolene sponsorship.
100 people attended the Summit in person, completing venue capacity; which could also be followed live via streaming.
At GaituzSport we believe and work to foster inclusion as it’s an opportunity to enrich society. Furthermore, it requires active participation in areas like: family life, education, work and generally speaking in all cultural, political and social processes likewise in communities.
For this reason, the Summit is a necessary space for discussion and reflection; and this year’s been a great edition where knowledge and experiences have been shared as well as identifying and analysing the barriers the disABLED come up against to do physical activity and sport.
The speakers offered the necessary proposals for improvements, moreover both speakers and public alike stated our society was NOT inclusive, despite having advanced, there is still much to be done for real inclusion. In other words, this is marathon for which society as a whole is responsible for undertaking.
IBON OREGI’s EXPERIENCE
The Summit moderated by Xabier Leizea, GaituzSport Chairman and Kirolene Instructor, with health journalist, Marta Fernández Rivera, GaituzSport Communication and Marketing Manager, began with sportsman Ibon Oregi’s Experience, an example of the power of sport as a social inclusion tool.
Ibon had a serious accident while training for his forthcoming triathlon, running along the road when he was knocked down and lost his left leg from the knee down. Sport was already an important part of his life prior to this unfortunate experience, meaning it was also essential in his physical and mental recovery. He started out with an exercise bike until reaching surf, a sport which has become his therapy and recovery making him feel “worthy” again.
Oregi, told us at the Summit about how he overcame his difficulties, which has recently led him to become nº 2 in the world adapted surf championship, not to mention “appreciating things more and being a better father.”
2 DISCUSSION TABLES
Taking part in the first discussion table “Social agents: Different transversal inclusion perspectives” were: Maite de Iturrate, General Director of Bizkaia Provincial Council Social Administration and Promotion; Marcos Muro, Director of Bilbao Council Bilbao Kirolak; Gorka Iturriaga, Director of the Basque Government Physical Activity and Sports Department; Txema Franco, Managing Director of Gorabide; and Iñaki Ugarteburu, Chairmen of the Basque Sports Agents’ Association, Kait.
The participants stated that although there had been important advances there was still a long way to go; moreover “Both society and institutions need to put their inclusion glasses on.”
Among the proposals for improvement identified as the most important to go forward were: “More resources, more physical activity sport promotion, likewise fostering the transversality factor.”
At the second discussion table “The human inclusion factor via Physical Activity and Sport” included the personal testimonies and experiences of paralympian Asier García, BSR wheelchair basketball player BSR; Gotzon García, father of world champion athlete with Down Syndrome, Mikel García; the non-disabled sportsman Pascual de Haro of Ixaropena Association; and Marta Sánchez, participant of the GaituzSport Physical Activity Health Programme.
The participants agreed “there was still an enormous amount to run, jump, etc., and that we can’t rest on our laurels until true inclusion is achieved.” By way of a proposal for improvement they highlighted “education from early childhood as a critical factor to achieve inclusion.”
The event finished with an animated family photo/video to the shout of inclusion, followed by a networking-cocktail. As with all the events GaituzSport organises, the Summit has unfolded from the perspective of true inclusion, with the necessary resources so everyone can attend and following meeting in equal conditions, i.e. space, venue layout, accessibility, sign language interpreter, etc.
We continue weaving the inclusion network!
Below you can watch the videos of the 3rd Summit “Weaving networks for inclusion via Physical Activity and Sport”:
IBON OREGI’s EXPERIENCE VÍDEO
DISCUSSION 1 VIDEO: SOCIAL AGENTS, DIFFERENT TRANSVERSAL INCLUSION PERSPECTIVES
DISCUSSION 2 VIDEO: INCLUSION HUMAN FACTOR VIA PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SPORT
