SAUDI ARABIA-ERADA PARK Saudi Arabia opens park for people with special needs

Record ID: 146047

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-ERADA PARK Saudi Arabia opens park for people with special needs
  • Date: 28th July 2015
  • Summary: BOY SINGING ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7723B85WBS6MIW726O2IVUQAR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A new park dedicated to people with special needs has opened in Jeddah.
    The city's mayor Hani Abu-Ras cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony for Erada Park, Saudi Arabia's first park dedicated to people with additional needs, which is operated and managed by disabled people.
    "The park is located in an area of 800 square meters, it has been equipped with playgrounds and games for people with special needs. Thank God we were able to cooperate with a group of young people from the organization of special needs to help operate and manage the park needs, so that they are supervising it while the Secretariat provides them with full support on maintenance and operation," said the mayor.
    The park offers children a safe and fun environment to play with their friends.
    "The park is beautiful because I can play with my friends," said a young boy in a wheelchair playing ball with a friend.
    Equipped with disabled-friendly facilitates, Erada Park is suitable for people with and without additional needs and offers a theatre, free Wi-Fi internet connection, and lots of green spaces.
    "The park is called 'The Park of Will'. They (the children) actually are the owners of the will and not with special needs, they are stronger than all of us, their will is strong for life and achievement. They offer something different, for this, the park was named as 'The Park of Will'," explained Faisal Yamani, an event organiser for the park.
    "Erada Park was a dream, it has been achieved on the ground, thanks to God and the municipality of Jeddah that has implemented the project after we suggested the idea," said Safar Al-Haqbani, an activist.
    It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 disabled people living in the city of Jeddah alone, activists show support for the new park but say the city still needs more training and rehabilitation centres to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.
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