Annual sports festival for users of Jaipur limbs

AIDEX 2006, the annual sports festival for users of the Jaipur limb organised by the Colombo Friend In Need Society, the oldest charity organisation in the country, will be held today, Sunday November 12, at the Reid Avenue grounds, Colombo 7.

Organised for the 16th consecutive year, the festival will see about 400 Jaipur limb users from various parts of the country participating in this event.

The event is open to the public who are invited to spend the day with the differently abled to encourage them to participate in such activities.

"We have to recognise the value of disabled persons. So we need the members of the public to come on that day- to see what people like them are going through. We want them to respect these differently abled. This event will also give a wonderful opportunity for the differently abled as we would encourage them to run,walk and dance on that day,” said the Chairman AIDEX Prof. A.H. Sheriffdeen. This event will be worked off from 9. a.m.onwards when the first bicycle race will be flagged off by this year's Guest of Honour Julian Wilson, Head of Delegation to the European Union.

The festival will also include 52 field and track events - 100, 200 and 400 metre races, putt shot, long jump, discus throw, and archery.

Special additional games have also been organised for the children using Jaipur limbs and around 50 such participants have registered.