Bridges of Empowerment Together Beyond Disability
The Faculty of Physical Therapy at October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA) conducted the event “Bridges of Empowerment: Together Beyond Disability” with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of inclusive physical activity for individuals with disabilities, promoting sustainable Arab collaboration for disability-inclusion initiatives, highlighting inspiring success stories of para-athletes and disability advocates, providing experiential learning for Level 4 Physical Therapy students in adaptive exercise design, and encouraging social inclusion and active participation among university students, staff, and guests.
The event included several key sessions:
Sports Inclusivity Session
The session was led by distinguished Paralympic athletes who shared their personal journeys, challenges, and achievements, while demonstrating adaptive sports techniques and equipment.
Impact of Assistive Devices on Athletes’ Lives
This session was led by Eng. Tarek Salem, founder of AccessLife.Co and I’m Home, who emphasized how assistive technologies enhance independence, mobility, and athletic performance.
“Step Into Their World” – Adaptive Activity Zone
In collaboration with Football & Gym Academy and under the protocol with the Egyptian Federation of Recreational Games, participants engaged in a wide range of interactive adaptive activities designed to simulate real-life challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. Activities included adaptive volleyball, adaptive korfball, labyrinth coordination games, crutches race, memory challenge games, and blindfold drawing activities. These activities provided hands-on experiential learning for students and offered an inclusive platform for physical and cognitive engagement among all participants.
Speakers at the event included:
- Egypt
Captain Amr Elsohagy, founder of Aquability Swimming Academy, captain of the Egyptian Paralympic Swimming Team, member of the Youth Committee at the National Council for Women, and disability equality specialist.
Eng. Tarek Salem, cloud infrastructure engineer at Microsoft, innovator and disability advocate, founder of I’m Home and AccessLife.co.
Captain Mahmoud Youssuf, disability advocate and professional para-athlete.
Abdelrahman Yasser, student at the Faculty of Languages, MSA University.
- Palestine (via online session)
Dr. Saba’ Jarrar, vice president of the Arab Federation for Sports Culture and lecturer at the Faculty of Sports Sciences, AAUP.
Hazem Khattab, general secretary of the Palestinian Sports & Culture Federation and head of sports event management at CIES, Birzeit University.
Khaled Shaaban, captain of the Palestinian National Wheelchair Basketball Team.
- Bahrain (via online session)
Fatima Erhama Asad, president of Al-Azm Toastmasters Club, Paralympic weightlifter, and wheelchair badminton athlete.
Faisal Khalid Aun, Quran memorizer, award-winning author, and advocate for people with disabilities.
Sara Ahmed Busaleh, Bahrain’s first teacher in a wheelchair, trainer at Al-Azm Toastmasters Club, and first certified wheelchair first-aid trainer in Bahrain.
- Libya (via online session)
Jaber Ghaith, head of Al-Ikhlas Charity Association for Persons with Disabilities in Libya and disability rights activist.
The event successfully provided students and participants with valuable insights into adaptive sports, disability inclusion, and the use of assistive technologies while fostering cross-cultural collaboration and empowerment.
