The actions of the paralympic festival of the vale do Ivaí de Ivaiporã, Paraná

Abstract

This text aims to present the experiences of the outreach event called “Vale do Ivaí Paralympic Festival” in Ivaiporã, PR, held annually by the Physical Education Course of the Department of Human Movement Sciences, State University of Maringá, Vale Regional Campus of Ivaí (DMO/UEM/CRV). The purpose of the event is to promote the social inclusion of people with disabilities enrolled in the regular education network and special education schools, through the practical experience of para-sports in athletics. The event gives visibility to the potential of this population, and provides academics with the theoretical and practical knowledge of the management and organization of a sporting event. The text shows how the Festival is organized and presents a historical review of its trajectory. The event's expansion among municipalities in the central-north region of the state, the increase in the number of participating schools and people with disabilities, and greater academic and community involvement in general, stand out throughout the editions. The events held at the event are characterized as track: sprint, long, half deep, relay and field tests, which show little variation since the inaugural edition. This writing finds that the event’s organization is frequently marked by numerous challenges ranging from planning, logistics, infrastructure, and especially by the lack of resources available to meet all the demands and needs of the target audience. Even in the face of these challenges,, the legacies of the event reach both social and academic spheres and constitute a successful practice for the promotion of physical and sporting activities for people with disabilities, for social integration and inclusion, and for qualified academic/professional training.