President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended on Wednesday morning 28/12/2022 “Differently-Abled” Celebration for Persons of Determination and those with special Abilities at Al-Manara International Conference Center in New Cairo.

Upon his arrival at the venue's celebration, President El-Sisi was received by Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy el-Gebaly, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed el -Tayyeb, along with a host of ministers and senior state officials. 

The celebration, held under the slogan of "We have a place", began with recitation of verses of Holy Quran by Omar Ashraf, a differently abled young man.

A documentary was displayed on "Differently-Abled" over the years, presenting the achievements as a result of the continued support of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and all ministries and bodies of the State.

The documentary also highlighted the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports to the heroes of "Differently-Abled" in the various sports, as they represented Egypt in international and Arab events.

It also shed light on Egypt's launch of "Differently-Abled" fund to present support and care to the people with special abilities in more than 15 files, adding that the fund in cooperation with "Decent Life" initiative succeeded in qualifying more than 42,000 of those with special needs in the fields of physiotherapy and speech therapy to facilitate merging them in the community and establishing 20 centers to serve them across the various villages.

The athletes of "Differently-Abled" reviewed their accomplishments in the sports of swimming, basketball and karate and the care given by the State to them.

Sports anchor Seif Zahran thanked President Sisi for his support and care for the people with special abilities.

A documentary was displayed on the success of the heroes of special abilities and efforts of their families with them.

President Sisi commented on the documentary highlighting the care and great attention parents pay to their off spring.

For her part, a differently-abled girl called Khadiga Shaaban thanked the president for his support for all "differently-abled" people, saying "I love you president."

She, who is a student at the faculty of English literature of the British University, reminded the attendees when the president helped her last year to move with a wheel chair to achieve her dream of appearing on TV and refused to allow his accompanying guards to do so. 

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi commented saying: "everything in the world is destined and God manages everything."

He stressed the state's keenness to play its role in supporting its people.

In his speech, Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy said that Egypt organized 289 international events and championships and snatched 2,664 medals in individual and team sports.

He pointed out that Egypt hosted international championships for those with special needs that were not hosted in any other country around the world, noting that Egypt hosted the African Paralympic championship for weightlifting.

He added that Egypt implemented 50 projects and programs with the participation of 250,000 youth from people with special abilities.

Sobhy said that 1,497 programs, where 72 million youth took part, were implemented in cooperation with the civil institutions of the church, Al Azhar, Awqaf, education, higher education, health, culture and solidarity.

Sobhy lauded the care of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to the people with special abilities.

Sobhy said that the competitive sports system of those with special needs has developed, pointing out to the expansion of activities of artistic and cultural hobbies of the disabled in coordination with the Ministry of Culture.

Media figure Nahwand Sery hailed the role played by the Egyptian state to protect the people of special abilities through adopting new laws, noting the importance of respecting their abilities and personalities.

One of the persons with special abilities presented Social Solidarity Minister Nivene el Kabbag to give her speech in the 4th edition of the 'Differently-Abled' celebration.

In her word Minister of Social Solidarity Nivine el-Kabbag said Egypt has incorporated social solidarity as a fundamental approach into all adopted national programs and policies achieving a quantum leap in empowering and integrating differently-disabled persons in society.

The minister said mingling special need persons in the society would be of great benefit at all levels, including the political one; entrenching the sense of belonging and citizenship and the cultural level as it helps disseminate awareness of the needs of the disabled.

The minister said the future lies in the cooperation of all segments of the society, to press ahead with overall development as every citizen should shoulder the responsibility, with a view to maintaining our society's stability and dreams.

President Sisi directs gov't to implement immediate steps to empower differently-abled Egyptians

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed on Wednesday various ministries to implement immediate plans to empower more than 20 million differently-abled Egyptians in order to allow them to participate effectively in society.

During the event, the president announced the establishment of a fund for differently-abled people, instructing five different state funds to support the new fund at a total of EGP 1 billion.

As per the president's directives, the Armed Forces Fund will contribute EGP 500 million to the new fund. The Ministry of Housing Fund will contribute EGP 200 million. The Suez Canal Fund, the Honouring of Martyrs Fund, and the Healthcare Fund will each contribute EGP 100 million.

The president ordered all concerned bodies to continue working on enhancing programmes and plans to integrate differently-able people in all national projects and initiatives.

Differently-Abled Fund, which was established in 2020 as part of a series of measures to integrate differently-abled people in the community and improve their standards of living, has set up 20 service centres nationwide.

During the event, the president tasked the Ministry of Social Solidarity with ensuring that all people with special needs receive an Integrated Card that provides them with basic healthcare services and with social and other services.

El- Sisi also directed the Ministry of Youth and Sports to provide memberships to special needs individuals at youth, innovation and learning centres.

El-Sisi also instructed the Ministry of Housing to allot a quota in its projects to persons with special needs.

The president also charged the Ministry of Transport with guaranteeing persons with special needs accessibility in all ongoing national projects such as roads, bridges, tunnels, metro stations and monorails.

Furthermore, El-Sisi assigned the education, youth and social solidarity ministries to launch the "Companions of the Differently-Abled" initiative in schools, universities, youth centres, clubs, care homes and other entities.

He also tasked The Ministry of Manpower  to develop programmes aimed at training and employing those with special needs to gain skills needed in the job market.