UAE hopes to attract 20,000 volunteers for Special Olympics Games

Abu Dhabi [UAE], Oct 6 (ANI/WAM): As Abu Dhabi gets ready to welcome more than 7,000 athletes to compete in 24 sports at the Special Olympics World Games in 2019, the organising committee has invited youth and other members of the community to be part of the humanitarian sporting event.
Abu Dhabi's World Games will be the most unified Games as it will host more than 170 countries, hence, breaking the record of participating countries in the history of the Special Olympics.
Organisers said the World Games will run from March 14 to 21, 2019 and throughout this time thousands of individuals will be needed to help prepare and host many events and competitions during the biggest humanitarian event in the world which uses sports as a platform to unite people with intellectual disabilities with the rest of the community.
The committee hopes to attract 20,000 volunteers and towards that end it organised a special event in Abu Dhabi to register volunteers.
''Moreover, with the Special Olympics, you'll be assuming severe essential roles, and, most importantly you will open your eyes and heart to a more hopeful, inclusive world. The experience is one you will never forget,'' the committee said.
The selected volunteers will undergo a pre-event 16-hour online or face-to face training programme in preferred areas according to their skills so that they can assume essential roles efficiently. The areas of volunteering include: sports, technology, event, medical, delegation assistance liaison, communications, operations, guests service, language service and protocol. Opportunities are also open for people of determination (with intellectual disabilities).
Abu Dhabi has successfully delivered the Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018, where over 3,000 volunteers of all ages and nationalities gave more than 50,000 hours of their time during the MENA Games and supported more than 1,000 athletes from 31 countries.
''We look forward to having volunteers again as will once again play an integral role in delivering the Games,'' the committee said. (ANI/WAM)