Cumhuriyet University (Sivas, Turkey) recently hosted their 5th annual goalball tournament to celebrate the 2016 International Day of People with Disabilities.

The tournament, held on 3 December, was organized by the university’s School of Physical Education and included 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams of students from throughout the university.  Sighted teams learned about the sport and demonstrated their skills playing the tournament wearing regulation eyeshades.  In the final match, the top team played against a team of blind athletes.  According to tournament organizer Mücahit Fişne, “Each year the sighted players play hard but in the end, they cannot win.”

Fişne went on to say, “Our university management really tries their best to encourage and support disabled people.   After we established this tournament in 2012, our university had formed a new unit for solving the problems of our disabled students.  This unit has raised awareness of all disabled students and in this case, encouraged other students to participate in activities along their blind peers.”

The International Day of People with Disabilities was established by the United Nations and on 3 December each year.   The day aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate the achievements and contributions of people with disability.