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The 4th edition of ‘The Inclusive Night’ will be held at Kursaal Donostia, with the Prizegiving ceremony of the GaituzSport awards which acknowledge the exemplary work of people and bodies to achieve a fairer, more equal and inclusive society.
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The Gipuzkoa Surf Federation; Basque First Division Football Clubs: Real Sociedad, Athletic Club de Bilbao, S.D. Eibar and Deportivo Alavés; the Kosta Trail Race; Bidaideak Bilbao BSR wheelchair basketball; and Joxe Agirretxe and Bizipoza, will be acknowledge with GaituzSport Awards at this 2019 edition.
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A special award goes to MIKEL IZAGUIRRE for his career as an acknowledgement for over 40 years’ altruistic dedication to fostering adapted sport and inclusion in Gipuzkoa.
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Porfirio Hernández Zubizarreta, chairman of GaituzSport, and the Basque Adapted Sports Federation, emphasises sport as “a social inclusion channel, which helps break barriers and generate Community to achieve a more equal society.”
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The event can be followed via streaming and on social networks with the hashtag #gauinklusiboa
The 4th edition of ‘The Inclusive Night – Gau Inklusiboa’ which includes the GaituzSport Prizegiving event will be held at Kursaal Donostia-San Sebastián on 4th April.
The event organised by Fundación GaituzSport Fundazioa and the Basque Adapted Sports Federation, with the sponsorship of the Gipuzkoa Adapted Sports Federation, gives inclusion protagonism, and its aim is to acknowledge and drive the exemplary work, people and bodies carry out via Physical Activity and Sport to achieve a more inclusive, fairer and more equal society.
‘The Inclusive Night’ presenters are the versatile actor and scriptwriter Óscar Terol and the actress Alazne Etxebarria.
To quote Porfirio Hernández Zubizarreta, chairman of the Basque Adapted Sports Federation, “sport is a great tool for breaking down social barriers and generating inclusion. We have to make it possible for the disABLED to take part in general activities as fully-entitled citizens. In many ways, we live in advanced society; however, real inclusion and respect for diversity, are subjects still pending approval.’
People and bodies awarded with GaituzSport Prizes 2019:
1.- KOSTA TRAIL RACE, organised by Forum Sport, GaituzSport Prize for good inclusive competition practices, and for being an example these last 14 years with the participation of people with and without disABILITY; in addition to foster healthy habits and solidarity among society.
2.- GaituzSport Prize, for the good inclusive participation practices of the Gipuzkoa Surf Federation, for their initiatives and activities which foster inclusion via surf among people with and without disABILITY.
3.- GaituzSport Prize, to Elite Competition Adapted Sport, to the Club BIDAIDEAK BILBAO BSR, wheelchair basketball, for their sporting successes in the last 2 seasons and for being an example of values and fostering interest.
4.- GaituzSport Prize, for bodies fostering inclusion for the 4 Basque First Division Football Clubs: Deportivo Alavés, Athletic Club de Bilbao, Real Sociedad, and SD Eibar, for fostering the participation of people with disABILITY in football via the Genuine League.
5.- Joxe Agirretxe, and the Bizipoza Association, GaituzSport Prize for good inclusive practices outside the sports environment, for fostering respect for diversity, social integration and solidarity; and for supporting children and their families, collaborating with a large number of associations. To quote Agirretxe, known as ‘Porrotx’: “Being a clown is a constructive, respectful and positive way of life.”
6.- MIKEL IZAGUIRRE, the special GaituzSport Prize for his career spanning over 40 years, altruistically and enthusiastically dedicated to driving and fostering adapted sport in Gipuzkoa. A reference for his knowledge and human values.
Affected by muscular dystrophy, this degenerative disease has not prevented him from untiring activity. His achievements include: the creation in the 1990s Club Deportivo INDAR, the first wheelchair basketball team in Gipuzkoa. In 2003 he undertook the challenge of creating the Gipuzkoa Adapted Sports Federation. He was the key person due to his knowledge in the Inverted inclusion project, i.e. Hegalak Sports Centre & Hegalak Zabalik Foundation, and in 2011 he founded the Adapted Sports Club MINDARA in Rentería.
For an inclusive society
200 people from all works of life will attend the great inclusion night, with great institutional support with the attendance among others of: the Donostia San Sebastián Mayor, Eneko Goia, Chairwoman of the General Assembly of Gipuzkoa, Eider Mendoza Larrañaga; Employment & Social Policies Minster, Beatriz Artolazabal; Education Minister, Cristina Uriarte, Deputy Minister for Culture, Maite Alonso; and sports people like world Paralympic swimming champion Richard Oribe, and the surfers: Axi Muniain and Aitor Francesena.
The 4th edition of the ‘The Inclusive Night’, which is held in a Basque capital every year is sponsored by: the Basque Government, Donostia-San Sebastian City Council, Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and Laboral Kutxa; can be followed live, vía streaming, and social networks with the hashtag #gauinklusiboa .