By the action “Reaching the finish line in equality” held for the seventh consecutive year within 31st Belgrade Marathon, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality extended its support to persons with disability who participated in this sport event. Hundreds of citizens who visited the stand of the Commissioner had a unique opportunity to mingle and talk with athletes with disability and become better acquainted with the problems they face in their everyday life but also to directly talk to Commissioner Jankovic and staff members and learn more about harmfulness of discrimination and ways for its suppression.
Commissioner Brankica Jankovic stressed that the action “Reaching the finish line in equality”, traditionally organized in partnership with Sport Association of Persons with Disability of Belgrade (SSOIB), has gathered a record number of 250 sportsmen and sportswomen with disability, of which 85 took part in the half-marathon. She emphasized that special marathon wheels, driven by Zeljko Likic from SSOIB, were provided for the first time from donation and that procurement of special equipment is one of possibilities to help the athletes with disability. It is very important, because our data confirm that persons with disability are facing obstacles in equal social participation most often, especially because of inaccessible public objects and surfaces, said Commissioner and stressed that this action is a way to highlight that these persons can be fully equal in all areas of life and that Belgrade and Serbia can provide conditions for it.
Special guest of the event was Andrea Orizio, Head of OSCE Mission in Serbia, who welcomed all activities of Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, as well as the great response to the action “Reaching the finish line in equality”, emphasizing the importance of inclusion of all citizens in Serbia in the society. Among many participants of the event were also representatives of embassies and civil society organizations.
The event ended with the beginning of the Casual Race where athletes with disability, guests, staff members of the Commissioner and many other citizens took part and cheered during the race.
