Dear friends and sports enthusiasts,
the next year is here and the European Youth Games for the Disabled Emil Open is coming back to Brno. Young people with disabilities can once again prove not only to the world, but above all to themselves that they can participate in sports at the top level. The Emil Open blurs the distinction between the able-bodied and the disabled, removes prejudices and shows that everyone can play sports. Indian thinker Mahatma Gandhi once wisely said that strength comes not from physical ability but from indomitable will. The participants of the Games have been proving this to us for eleven years.
I am thrilled to see that even people with disabilities do not miss the pleasure of movement. I take my imaginary hat off to these people. I can only imagine how much effort and work it must take for them to be able to lead such a life and perform such activities as people without disabilities. Top-level sport directed by them takes on a completely different dimension.
I have great respect for the organisers of the Emil Open Games. Thanks to them, young people with disabilities can measure their strength against their peers from different countries. They have managed to create a place where these young people can not only show what they have, but also make new friendships with their counterparts not only from the Czech Republic, but also from other European countries. For this they deserve a big thank you.
I wish all the participants of the International Games for Disabled Youth Emil Open 2022 to fully enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Games. I wish the athletes many sporting and personal successes. Remember that it is not important to win, but to participate.
Ing. Jan Schiller, Governor of the Ústí nad Labem Region
