Български
SPORT
#SPORT Camp for Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities in Turkey
28.08.2025
From 25–28 August 2025, the city of Sakarya, Turkey, hosted the #SPORT – Strengthening Potentials through Opportunities, Respect, and Team-spirit camp, bringing together 30 athletes with intellectual disabilities: 15 from Turkey and 15 from the Bulgarian sports club Sunny Kids in Kardzhali, as well as sport experts from both countries, which exchanged experience, knowledge and ideas.
The camp, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, offered two days of sports, teambuilding, and intercultural exchange. The programme featured volleyball, basketball, bocce, football, table tennis, mini golf, and swimming sessions, as well as outdoor adventure challenges. Joint training sessions in the university’s sports facilities and shared social activities fostered teamwork, respect, and friendship among participants.
The camp was part of the wider SPORT project, coordinated by the Bulgarian Sports Development Association (BSDA) in partnership with Kargenc Club. The project aims to advance inclusivity and accessibility in sports, with a special focus on individuals with intellectual disabilities. Through international and national initiatives, including the #BeInclusive SPORT Camps, the project empowers athletes, strengthens the capacity of coaches and sports administrators, and promotes adapted sports practices.
By combining practical activities with knowledge-sharing, SPORT seeks to:
• provide high-quality mobility opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities;
• equip sports professionals with innovative tools for inclusion;
• raise awareness of the social value of sport; and
• build sustainable networks between organizations, institutions, and communities.
The Sakarya #BeInclusive #SPORT camp highlighted the transformative power of sport as a tool for social inclusion and personal growth, demonstrating how cross-border cooperation can create lasting impact. With further activities planned in both Bulgaria and Turkey, the SPORT project will continue to inspire empowerment and promote equal opportunities in sport.
The camp was part of the wider SPORT project, coordinated by the Bulgarian Sports Development Association (BSDA) in partnership with Kargenc Club. The project aims to advance inclusivity and accessibility in sports, with a special focus on individuals with intellectual disabilities. Through international and national initiatives, including the #BeInclusive SPORT Camps, the project empowers athletes, strengthens the capacity of coaches and sports administrators, and promotes adapted sports practices.
By combining practical activities with knowledge-sharing, SPORT seeks to:
• provide high-quality mobility opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities;
• equip sports professionals with innovative tools for inclusion;
• raise awareness of the social value of sport; and
• build sustainable networks between organizations, institutions, and communities.
The Sakarya #BeInclusive #SPORT camp highlighted the transformative power of sport as a tool for social inclusion and personal growth, demonstrating how cross-border cooperation can create lasting impact. With further activities planned in both Bulgaria and Turkey, the SPORT project will continue to inspire empowerment and promote equal opportunities in sport.
