Twenty persons with disabilities from the city of Banja Luka participated in the event “Rafting for persons with disabilities”, on 27 August at the Vrbas River, in a length of 7 kilometers.
Rafting for persons with disabilities was an opportunity to promote sports for persons with disability and overcome barriers and prejudices about their ability to actively participate in all sports, especially the adrenaline ones. Participation in sports activities for persons with disabilities, as a form of rehabilitation, is very important since it makes positively effect on the quality of life, health, mental stability, motivation and self-esteem.
Rafting participants were joined by media representatives who, along with persons with disabilities, participated in the beauties of the adrenaline rafting. With the intention of presenting journalists to gain a better insight into the importance of participation of persons with disabilities in sports activities, a gathering of journalists and participants was organized on this topic, following the rafting tour. This activity is organized as part of the project “Communities of Different, but Equal Citizens “, funded by the European Union, and implemented by UDAS in partnership with the Helsinki Parliament of citizens Banja Luka and “Nešto Više”.
Dusko Uzelac, a participant in rafting, said that he has gone through an unforgettable experience.
“I have never had a chance to go rafting down the Vrbas Canyon, and I have felt a real adrenaline today. Today’s rafting for persons with disabilities was the opportunity to send a message that we, persons with disabilities, could be equally different and that there are no boundaries for us, but only the barriers we need to break, “said Dusko Uzelac, a person with disabilities.
Another participant of the rafting was Jovana Dzever, a person with disabilities, who experienced participation in similar sports for the first time ever.
” I finally had the chance to enjoy Vrbas river in its full sense, thanks to this event. The complete event was planned in details, while the skippers and other members of the rafting club team made an effort to show us the competitive part from our, tourist perspective. “Jovana Dzever said.
Safety for the participants during the rafting tour down the Vrbas River was secured by the guides of the Rafting Center “Canjon” Banja Luka, which are licensed by the International Rafting Federation.
