Oct 28 - Special Olympics Gibraltar Granted The Freedom Of The City
In its 30th year since it first started, the Special Olympics Gibraltar were honoured with the Freedom of the City of Gibraltar.
At a ceremony held at Grand Battery House on Saturday, athletes, coaches and families, the Mayor Adolfo Canepa handed over a casket with the signed Freedom Scroll to Special Olympics Gibraltar President Annie Risso.
The honour was granted to the Special Olympics Gibraltar by a unanimous motion passed in Parliament back in July.
Speaking in the presence of Her Excellency the Governor Alison MacMillan, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and other dignitaries, Ms Risso said: “All who work within Special Olympics worldwide do it with a belief of respect – respect for our athletes. The belief that opportunities should be extended to them as all sports people can reiterate that in sports the best is what each and every sportsman strives to achieve.
“Our Special Olympics athletes have extra challenges, but they get there. They struggle, they push themselves, and always with the encouragement from their coaches and support from their families.”
“In the words of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who is our founder, ‘As we hope for the best of men, hope is reborn in us’.
“My sincere thanks to our Parliament on behalf of Special Olympics Gibraltar, thank you for giving us the highest honour we could ever have dreamt of.”
Mr Picardo said: “Thirty years ago, you started on a journey.
“You took small steps in 1985 on a road to the international representation of Gibraltar.
“Small steps which have led you to visit Nations far beyond our shores. Small steps which have led you here today. To the recognition by the people of your own Nation. And this recognition is undoubtedly long overdue.
“For it has long been clear to all of us that you have made Gibraltar proud around the world.
“You have been the face of the Rock in the Special Olympics organisation from the time when there were few others in Europe.
“You have been Ambassadors for our people amongst the people of the world.
“And that is why it was my honour, on behalf of the Government, to move the Freedom of the City for you.”
Speaking to Your Gibraltar TV after the ceremony, Ms Risso said: “It’s an amazing recognition. We were in Los Angeles at the time, and I started to cry. I was so incredibly surprised, but so far from home when I found out.
“The athletes were proud to be told they were given the highest honour a nation could give them.
“All the hard work that we put into the Special Olympics has always been worth it. We put in a lot but we take so much out of it ourselves, but this is the icing on the cake for everyone involved.”
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