Celebrating International Day of People with Disability

Snow Australia would like to celebrate International Day of People with Disability today to highlight and celebrate with the Snow Australia Para team athletes on this special day. The teams are in Europe representing in the sports of Para Alpine and Para Snowboard, skiing and riding on the FIS Para Snowsports World Cup circuit.
 
For more than 30 years, 3 December has been celebrated as International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), and the occasion is as important now as ever.
 
This year the United Nations has adopted the theme for IDPwD “United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities.”
 
The SDGs are the 17 goals set by UN member nations to make the world better and fairer for everyone. It is important that people with disability are part of this work and have a big say in what happens.
 
Ali Bombardier, Snow Australia Para Teams Manager, said it is important for all Australians to understand how much people with disabilities have to offer the wider community to achieve the goals all of society is moving towards.
 
“Our Para Snowsports athletes and Para athletes from other sports are all proof that everyone has the capacity to contribute, influence and improve the world we live in,” said Bombardier. 
 
“This year’s theme for IDPwD align’s with the UN’s goals for Sustainable Development around the globe, and there is no reason why people with a disability cannot be active contributors to any of the 17 goals it has identified.
 
“Not only do our athletes have the ability to make the world a better place, they serve as an inspiration to millions, that everyone has the ability to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to their community or society as a whole.”
 
Click here for more information about IDPwD.
 

Over the past weekend Ben Tudhope collected two World Cup silver medals in snowboard banked slalom in the Netherlands while the Para Alpine team's (pictured) season opener stalled in Austria due to too much snow. The teams will compete on the world stage for the season in the Northern Hemisphere against their peers from around the world. 

Snow Australia runs Para Futures events in the Australian winter to introduce athletes with a disability to the Paralympic Wintersports of Skiing and Snowboarding, celebrating the achievements of para-athletes but also emphasising the importance of inclusivity in sports.