Juan Pablo Salazar on Disabilities and Sport

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In this podcast, Juan Pablo Salazar talks to IHRB’s Guido Battaglia about the role of sport as a platform and catalyst for fostering the inclusion and well-being of persons with disabilities in society. The discussion addresses in particular the role of the Paralympic movement, the progress that has been made so far and the challenges that still need to be addressed to ensure participation in sport for all people with disabilities.

Originally from Bogota, Colombia, Juan Pablo Salazar is a passionate global activist for the rights of persons with disabilities, with emphasis in sports and communication. He currently serves as a Governing Board member of the International Paralympic Committee. Salazar is the founder of the first wheelchair rugby club in Colombia, and has also served as Chef de Mission of the Colombian Delegation for the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games, President of the Colombian Sports Federation for People with Physical Disabilities and President of the Colombian Paralympic Committee. In the human rights field, he has served as Founder of the Arcangeles Foundation, President of the National Council on Disability, and Director of the Presidential Plan for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Presidency of Colombia. Currently, he is Vice President of the Inter-American Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities of the Organisation of American States (OAS).