ICSD Executive Board and Turkish Authorities held 5th Progress Report

Beginning of May, the ICSD Executive Board (EB) held 5th Progress Report meeting with Turkish authorities in Samsun, Turkey. Delegation members of the ICSD Executive Board visited the remaining sports venues that were in the final stages of construction. The venues for athletics, shooting, bowling are now fully constructed. These sports venues are now undergoing final work.

In June, these sports venues will be completed in time for the competition. During the visit, the delegations visited the ICSD sports festival of persons with disabilities and the Coordination centre for work with volunteers. Volunteer Coordination centre in Samsun will have 2,000 volunteers, including 300 Deaf volunteers. The Minister of Youth and Sports of Turkey, Akif Kilic, personally supervised the 23rd Samsun Summer Deaflympics volunteers training.

From May 3rd to 5th, the ICSD EB held the 8th meetings in Samsun. The work was carried out from early morning to late evening. The members of ICSD EB discussed numerous issues related to the preparation of the Deaflympics in Samsun, and the 46th ICSD Congress which will be held prior to the start of 23rd Summer Deaflympics. The ICSD EB reviewed reports on the development of sports for the Deaf in four regions: European, Asia-Pacific, North and South America and Africa. Executive Board of the ICSD made decisions that would contribute to the development of sports for the Deaf throughout the world.

In the last day of report meeting, ICSD President Dr Valery Rukhledev along with ICSD EB and authorities of Turkey thanked each representative of the Organising Committee (OC) of Samsun, who are involved in the preparations of the 23rd Summer Deaflympics. President Dr Valery Rukhledev also elaborated on the Olympic Channel, the cooperation between ICSD and the Olympic Channel will raise the awareness of sports for the Deaf equivalent to the hearing level.

Turkey, which has a very serious attitude towards to the preparation of the 23rd Summer Deaflympics received tremendous support the development of sports for the Deaf. With the diligent preparation of the 23rd Summer Deaflympics in Samsun, a history of Deaf sports has been made.