Play Inclusive 2025 Opening Ceremony

Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President of Singapore Disability Sports Council,

Special Olympics Singapore and Singapore National Paralympic Council,

Mr Alan Goh, CEO, Sport Singapore,

Partner organisations, principals, teachers, participants,

Distinguished guests,

• A very good morning, everyone! I am delighted to join all of you for the official launch of Play Inclusive 2025.

• This is a very significant event as it celebrates the power of sports – to break barriers, to bring people of all abilities together, and to inspire all Singaporeans with the true spirit of inclusivity.

Significance of Play Inclusive

• Since its launch in 2018, Play Inclusive has become Singapore’s largest inclusive sports competition. More than just a sporting competition, it’s a movement to drive inclusion through sports.

  • The idea of inclusive sports has humble beginnings. In the 1960s, Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a simple backyard camp at her home for persons with disabilities¹. That spark grew into the global Special Olympics movement, inspiring countless initiatives worldwide, including our very own Play Inclusive.

  • This matters because research shows that persons with disabilities who play sports are more resilient, enjoy better well-being and are better integrated into society². Sport does not just build skills, it builds self-belief and opens doors to new possibilities.

  • That is why Play Inclusive is a key initiative under the refreshed Disability Sports Master Plan announced last year. We aim to more than double the outreach of Play Inclusive from 1,200 today to 3,000 participants by 2030.

Sports Bringing People Together

• Through unified sports, where people of different abilities play together on the same team, we create opportunities for everyone to unite, to compete on friendly terms, and to share meaningful and special moments together.

  • The competition may be an annual event, but the experiences gained and the bonds that are formed can truly last a long time.

  • For some, like Daiyan, a 19-year-old Special Olympics athlete from Delta Senior School, the experience is a deeply personal one. Daiyan plays floorball alongside his brother on the same team. Their mother is always there, cheering them on and offering words of encouragement from the stands.

  • Through playing floorball, Daiyan discovered joy and confidence. His family has grown closer through the brothers’ shared journey too.

• Daiyan’s experience shows how sports can bring families closer together, strengthening bonds of love and encouragement. And the impact extends beyond the athletes themselves. Players can also learn about empathy, respect and a deeper appreciation of persons with disabilities and their strengths.

  • Take, for example, the basketball team from Yuan Ching Secondary School and Grace Orchard School. These 2 schools have partnered to play together for over five years.

  • Through regular training, the students have built strong friendships and bonds, and learnt to communicate and understand one another better.

  • They do not just play together – they compete as one united team, showing us the true power of inclusive sport.

  • And it doesn’t stop there. These shared moments create ripples of connection, inspiring a more inclusive Singapore.

Importance of Community Support

• Driving inclusion through sports takes a community effort. Everyone has a role to play.

  • The recently launched Enabling Sports Fund supports this vision by empowering and supporting community-led disability sports programmes.

  • The Fund, supported by President’s Challenge, covers costs such as sports equipment, venue rental, transportation, and coaching fees, making it easier for more persons with disabilities to take part in sports.

• Looking around today, we see schools, teachers, volunteers, coaches and families leading by example and inspiring others.

  • We want to encourage more community groups, individuals and organisations to step forward – whether by contributing to the Fund or creating new opportunities – so that more persons with disabilities can enjoy sports.

  • Because together, we can spark more ground-up initiatives like Play Inclusive, bringing sports within reach of even more persons with disabilities in the community.

GetActive! Singapore as a Driver for Inclusive Sport

• Play Inclusive is an important highlight of GetActive! Singapore, our National Day celebration through sport. This year’s edition is our most inclusive yet:

  • We have introduced a Learning Journey for mainstream schools, hosting more than 270 participants today to participate in inclusive sports and better understand unified play.

  • In partnership with the ActiveSG Tennis Academy, we have introduced unified tennis tryouts, allowing individuals with visual impairments to play alongside their peers.

  • As part of our SG60 celebrations, we will also unveil the SG60 Voices of Inclusion flag, a commemorative patchwork of 60 contributions from mainstream and special education school partners and students – they represent our collective journey toward inclusion through sport.

    • Among them is a hand-drawn flag by MINDS Fernvale Gardens School and Hougang Secondary School, carrying the powerful message “Diversity is the true spirit of sport. Sports unite us beyond differences”.

  • Lastly, a big shoutout to our athletes and unified partners. You have trained hard for the past three months. Today is your time to shine!

  • Play your hearts out, celebrate your journey, enjoy the friendships you have built, and most importantly, have fun! All the best to every player.

• On that note, I declare Play Inclusive 2025 officially open!