AIDEX 2012 at Campbell Place
Anuradha Abeysekera
AIDEX 2012, the annual sports festival among the Jaipur limb users
organized by the Colombo Friend -In-Need Society will be worked off
tomorrow at Wesley College ground, Campbell Place.
AIDEX has been a major annual disabled sporting event which was
conducted for the last 22 years and Colombo Friend-In-Need Society (CFINS)
is conducting this year's festival as a part of their 180th anniversary
celebrations.
Over 350 artificial limb users are expected to participate in this
year's sports festival including amputees from North and East Provinces.
The CFINS has made arrangements to look after the participants providing
them lodging, meals and attending to all their necessities.
There will be 57 track and field events including 100m, 200m, 400m
races, putt shot, long jump, discus throw and archery. The AIDEX 2012
will start with male and female bicycle races in the morning and
wheelchair events too will be among the main attractions.
European Union officials will be chief guests at the occasion while
Sri Lanka's first ever Paralympic medalist Pradeep Sanjaya who won a
bronze medal in 2012 Paralympics and country's first female Paralympian
Amara Indumathi will be the special guests at the AIDEX 2012.
The Jaipur Limb donation programme was inaugurated in 1985 and has
donated more than 20, 000 artificial limbs throughout Sri Lanka over the
years.
Speaking at the media briefing AIDEX Organizing Committee Chairman
Prof. A. H. Sheriffdeen invited public to participate in this worthy
cause by supporting them in conducting the event while sharing a day
with disabled brothers and sisters who are also a part of our society.
He also thanked the main sponsors European Union, Ceylon Tea Services (Dilmah)
and Perera and Sons for shouldering this big task.
The event is supported by many individuals and Sheriffdeen
appreciated their generous support, specially the volunteers from CFINS,
Museaus College girl guides, Colombo Medical Faculty students and
Tallman Tours staff.
Society must accept these disabled as they are while giving
recognition for their talents in order to make them strong enough to
live a non-dependent life with dignity.
Any individual who wish to take part in this charity project is
welcome at the venue in the morning. |