The APC is looking forward to working together with its member nations to achieve these goals in the coming years.

The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) s presented its new Strategic Plan 2015-2018 at the 8th ASEAN Para-Games taking place in Singapore, from 3 to 9 December 2015.

Majid Rashed, President of the APC, was invited together with Chief Executive Officer Tarek Souei to take part in the symposium preceding the opening of the ASEAN Para-Games, organised by the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) on 2 December.

Rashed expressed his gratitude to be able to present the main goals of the new APC Strategic Plan to all Chef de Missions, Presidents and Officials from the delegations of the 10 countries participating in the ASEAN Para Games. The moment could not have been better chosen, six months after the first APC Membership Gathering held in Abu Dhabi on 9-11 May 2015, when the APC member nations were asked to help define the priorities for the APC in the years to come. South-East Asia (known as the ASEAN region) is, with 11 member nations, one of the biggest and most active sub-regions of the APC and therefore a perfect place to launch the important document.

The APC strategic plan was developed in partnership with the IPC Academy, taking into account the feedback from the Membership gathering, and following the new vision of the APC:

“To make Asia one of the leading regions of the Paralympic Movement in enabling athletes with a disability to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world.”

The APC intends to replicate the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) success model in Asia, in order to become one of the leading regions within the Paralympic Movement. This will be achieved through different goals:

• Sustainable funding: build sustainable reserves by diversifying revenue sources;

• Partnership: strengthen relationships with existing partners (International Paralympic Committee, Olympic Council of Asia) and develop new partnerships;

• Competition structures & athletes pathways: provide more sanctioned events across a number of para-sports through the region to enable athletes qualification to higher regional and World Championships events;

• Games concept & management: define a clear concept for the Asian Para Games and identify its key priorities;

• Promotional strategy: enhance coverage of Paralympic sports in the Asian region, and develop internet and social media to improve communications with National Paralympic Committees and athletes.

The APC is looking forward to working together with its member nations to achieve these goals in the coming years.

The Symposium in which APC Strategic Plan has been launched, named “Sport without boundaries, Social inclusion through sport,” was opened by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth of Singapore and attended by the participating National Paralympic Committees Chef de Missions and many experts from the Asian region. An electronic version of the strategic plan will be made available through the APC website.