"It was the most beautiful dive of my life because it gave so many messages. It was a dive not only on the seabed but also in our souls and hearts ", stressed the DISY & EPP MEP Loukas Fourlas, who dived this morning on the beach" Vathia Gonia "in Ayia Napa, together with two young people with mobility problems .
The event entitled "People with disabilities dive with Lucas", was held in collaboration with the Organization of Culture and Disability "Neophytos".
The purpose of the event was to give the message "Equal opportunities - Equal opportunities" and to emphasize that the accessibility and participation of these people in social events, as active citizens, are non-negotiable rights.
In his speech at the event, Mr. Fourlas highlighted the actions taken by the European Union in support of People with Disabilities and focused on the recent adoption of the relevant strategy by the European Parliament, for the period after 2020, of which the Rapporteur on his behalf European People's Party was Stelios Kimbouropoulos.
"A strategy that defends the rights of millions of European citizens by giving them powerful tools to claim the obvious," Mr Fourlas said, adding that "the aim of the Strategy is to ensure, among other things, equal access for these people to work, education and in health services ”enhancing, as he said, their participation in social life including sports activities.
"People with disabilities can and do claim their equal presence and contribution to everything that was previously considered prohibitive for them." He is here, as he noted, among us, with the same socialization needs as all of us.
He also pointed out that the elimination of violence against people with disabilities and the support of their families are two of the main goals of the strategy.
It is worth noting, said Mr Fourlas, that "one fifth of the EU population has some form of disability and the Union and its Member States have set themselves the goal of improving the social and economic situation of these people, based on Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the Treaty on its Functioning. "
The regulations on the rights of passengers with reduced mobility on public transport, the establishment of a general framework for equal treatment at work, the European Disability Card as well as the European Parking Card, are some of the initiatives taken at European Union level, he concluded. Mr. Fourlas.
In her greeting at the event, on behalf of the "Neophytos" Culture Organization, Marina Stavrou thanked the MEP Loukas Fourlas who, as she emphasized, is their companion and supporter in their actions and actions, as well as thanked all the members of the "Neophytos" Organization. who participated in the event, but also the Mayor of Ayia Napa.
For his part, the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Christos Zannetos said that such events help the municipal authorities to identify problems and weaknesses in order to support people with disabilities and improve their quality of life. "It is very moving to see these people take part in such events. "I hope that we will continue this cooperation with even more voluntary initiatives", he noted.
The two youngsters Andreas Voskos and Marios Lambrou were impressed by the dive they made with the MEP.
"It was an unprecedented experience that I will never forget in my life", said Andreas, emphasizing that at the bottom he felt free. "You feel free to do things that in everyday life are very difficult for us and I recommend other people with disabilities to try it."
He also expressed his satisfaction for the fact that this beach is fully accessible and provides exactly what they ask for, ie all the necessary infrastructure that should exist on all the beaches of the island.
The event was presented by the well-known journalist Nikos Symeou.
Famagusta.News