Let’s build a better and more inclusive Singapore, says PM Wong at inaugural Paralympic Day
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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong trying out a recumbent hand cycle at the launch of the inaugural Paralympic Day.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasised building a better, inclusive Singapore during the inaugural Paralympic Day with over 3,000 participants celebrating para-athletes' achievements.
- The event featured a 3km walkathon, para-sport tryouts, and served as a send-off for Team Singapore para-athletes to the Asian Para Games.
- Plans include enhanced support for persons with disabilities, with an inter-agency task force to recommend improved school-to-work transition and employment opportunities in 2026.
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SINGAPORE – As thousands turned out at Angsana Green at East Coast Park to commemorate Singapore’s inaugural Paralympic Day on Aug 29, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the guest of honour, underlined the importance of building a “better and more inclusive Singapore”.
Organised by the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC), the event aimed to raise awareness of para-sports, highlight the achievements and capabilities of people with disabilities, and encourage greater participation in sport among people of all abilities.
A key highlight of the event was the 3km Paralympic Walkathon, which PM Wong flagged off.
More than 3,000 participants, including people with disabilities, families and representatives of schools, corporate partners and community organisations, walked alongside 20 Team Singapore para-athletes.
In his speech on Aug 29, PM Wong said: “Today is a celebration of all our para-athletes – we celebrate your grit, your courage, your determination.
“These qualities are at the heart of the Paralympic movement. And they remind us to give everyone the chance to realise their potential and to become the best possible version of ourselves.”
He added: “So, today is more than a celebration of sporting achievement. It is another step forward in our journey towards a more inclusive Singapore.”
Celebrated globally, Paralympic Day promotes the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality.
Besides the walkathon, the event featured tryouts for para-sports like frame running, handcycling, laser shooting and sitting volleyball.
Flagging off the walkathon alongside Prime Minister Lawrence Wong were (on stage, from left) East Coast GRC MPs Hazlina Abdul Halim, Edwin Tong and Dinesh Vasu Dash, Singapore National Paralympic Council president Teo-Koh Sock Miang, South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling, and East Coast GRC MP Jessica Tan.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
It was also a send-off for Team Singapore para-athletes ahead of the Oct 18-24 Asian Para Games in Japan. The Games will feature about 3,000 athletes from 45 countries or regions competing across 18 para-sports.
In his address, PM Wong noted that while there has been progress in making Singapore a more inclusive society, there are plans to further this cause.
Referencing the National Day Rally on Aug 23, which focused heavily on increased support for families, he stressed that this support is for families of all kinds, and not just those with young children.
He added that the Government is also doing more for seniors, singles and people with disabilities.
PM Wong also said an inter-agency task force led by Goh Pei Ming, Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development and for Home Affairs, will release its recommendations on enhanced support in areas such as school-to-work transition and more employment opportunities for people with disabilities later in 2026.
(From right) Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, SNPC president Teo-Koh Sock Miang, para-swimmer Toh Wei Soong and South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling hanging the good wishes they penned to Team Singapore at the launch of the inaugural Paralympic Day at Angsana Green, East Coast Park, on Aug 29.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
PM Wong also hailed Team Singapore’s para-athletes for inspiring others through their discipline, courage and perseverance.
He added: “Ultimately, inclusion is not achieved by policies alone.
“It is built through the choices we make every day – whether we see ability before disability, recognise what every person can contribute, and give everyone a fair chance to do so.
“Every Singaporean has a part to play in this and that is why I am glad to see all of you here today for this inaugural Paralympic Day.
“Your presence sends a very strong message: that we stand with our para-athletes, and we want to build a more inclusive Singapore together.”
SNPC president Teo-Koh Sock Miang highlighted the shared responsibility of building an inclusive society.
She said: “Seeing thousands of Singaporeans from all walks of life alongside our para-athletes sends a powerful message – that inclusion is not the responsibility of persons with disabilities alone. It is something that all of us have a part in building, as one community.
“Today is more than the launch of a new event; it is the beginning of a movement that celebrates ability, challenges perceptions and strengthens our commitment to creating opportunities for everyone to participate, excel and belong.”
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