The Paralympic movement: #itsmorethansport

In the run-up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s promotional efforts focussed on Canada’s “unstoppable” athletes. Soon afterwards, they released a follow-up public service announcement about how the determination of para-athletes can also help Canadians with disabilities overcome the challenges of everyday life:

I missed this campaign when it was launched three months ago, but it is having a renaissance on social media today, as it is United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities. It’s being re-shared by the CPC with the following message and hashtag:

Today is the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities! SHARE our new Public Service Announcement - It’s More Than Sport - Support sport for all, improved accessibility and inclusion across the globe! #itsmorethansport

There is also a French version:

And two :30 versions, which I prefer for their much more focussed delivery:

On the campaign page of the CPC web site, Henry Storgaard, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, gives more context for the ads:

“For Canada to have a podium full of medalists, we need to have a playground full of kids playing parasport.To have a playground full of kids involved in parasport we need to ensure they know that participation in sport is an option for them. There are many transferable benefits that playing sport can provide a person with a disability, from rehabilitative to personal development. I know parents will see this campaign and want to give their child the chance to benefit from the experience too.”

There was one glitch, however, politely pointed out in that typically Canadian way by a Facebook fan: The ads lack captions or a transcript. This limits their accessibility to non-sighted visitors. However, as soon as the organization was aware of this, they pledged to post the transcript within a few hours.