Special Olympics Macau (MSO) Chief Executive Officer Hetzer Siu Yu Hong told reporters on the sidelines of the “15-Day Countdown to the Opening of the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympics Games Ceremony” at NOVA Mall in Taipa that the Games will provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sports, while also raising public awareness that persons with disabilities have the right and the ability to engage in athletic activities, showcasing the significance of sport for persons with disabilities, highlighting their perseverance and diverse capabilities.
The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympics Games will be held on December 8-15 in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Macau is hosting two badminton events.
Siu added that Macau’s NGD and MSO athletes began preparations nearly a year ago, completing selections and finalising the team roster, adding that they are currently in the final training cycle and will enter a rest phase next week, focusing fully on preparing for the competition.
Siu noted that the integration of the National Games and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities follows the model used for the Olympic and Paralympic Games linkage, aiming to leverage the impact of the National Games in the Greater Bay Area to enhance public national identity, while also guiding everyone to pay attention to the Games for Persons with Disabilities and root for persons with disabilities.
Siu said in a speech at yesterday’s countdown ceremony that the hosting of the national sports competition in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau fully demonstrates the nation’s high regard for the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), adding that the National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the National Special Olympics Games will promote the development of sport for persons with disabilities within the GBA, increase societal attention towards persons with disabilities, and foster social inclusion.
Siu said he hopes that all sectors of society will appreciate the perseverance, courage, and abilities demonstrated by athletes with disabilities, and work together to create a positive, inclusive, and harmonious social atmosphere.
The two-day “2025 Greater Bay Area Rendezvous: Understanding the Special Olympics & Fitness Promotion Day”, which ended yesterday at NOVA Mall in Taipa, attracted about 3,000 participants, including yesterday’s countdown ceremony, which marked 15 days until the opening of 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympics Games.
Chief Executive Officer of the Special Olympics Macau (MSO) Hetzer Siu Yu Hong addresses yesterday’s “15-Day Countdown to the Opening of the National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympics Games (NSOG) Ceremony” at NOVA Mall in Taipa. – Photo: Ida Cheong
