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Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Managing Director Ayman Aly A. Wahab (left) presents the International Award to Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria. |
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria, received an International Award from Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa on 11 September 2005.
The International Award, the highest award given by Middle East/North Africa, was presented to President Bouteflika in appreciation of his outstanding contributions to the welfare and development of people with intellectual disabilities in Algeria.
Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Managing Director Ayman Aly A. Wahab presented the award at a ceremony at Mardeyah Presidential Palace in Algiers. “I was honored to present President Butaflika the International Award,” said Wahab.“ Special Olympics Algeria has experienced a major breakthrough over the past five years. The President always lent a benevolent hand to people with intellectual disabilities in Algeria, which consequently aided in making significant progress on reaching Special Olympics Algeria’s goal of increasing the number of athletes in the Program to 10,000.”
Since the establishment of Special Olympics Algeria in 1997, its leadership’s dedication and hard work has helped the Program grow. The number of athletes active in the Program in 2004 (the date of the most recent Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report) rose 39 percent from 2003’s total.
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Wahab and Bouteflika meet with the media following the presentation of the International Award. |
Special Olympics Algeria is one of 20 Programs in the Middle East/North Africa region. “Our region has a very special and unique nature,” said Wahab. “A vast number of our region’s countries suffer from adverse economic hardships in addition to numerous social barriers that society has erected in the path of people with intellectual disabilities. However, the sincere desire of all those who collaborated defied all adversities and emerged victorious.”
Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa has earned the support of many influential people in the region. President Butaflika joins an impressive list of International Award recipients, including: H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, Special Olympics Egypt Honorary Chairperson; HRH Princess Lala Amina, Special Olympics Morocco Chairperson; Eng. Mohamed Moaamar Al-Qadafi, Special Olympics Libya Honorary Chairman; H.E. Mrs. Andre Lahoud, Special Olympics Lebanon Honorary Chairperson; HRH Queen Rania of Jordan; Sheikha Sheikha Al-Abdullah, Special Olympics Kuwait Honorary Chairperson; HRH Prince Sultan Bin Fahd, Special Olympics Saudi Arabia Honorary Chairman; HRH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Dubai’s Crown Prince and Minister of Defense; HRH Prince Al-Walid Bin Talal and HRH Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal of Saudia Arabia; HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Crown Prince of Qatar; HH Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad, the Crown Prince of Bahrain; Mrs. Nazik Al-Hariri, former First Lady of Lebanon; and Mr. Amre Moussa, Secretary General of The Arab League. |
