They will lead a Youth Innovation Project aimed at utilizing sport partnerships with schools as a tool to improve inclusion in education. While Ilitay and Perizat see the benefits of integrating youth with and without intellectual disabilities, studies have shown that most administrators aren’t prepared to implement inclusion in schools and many parents are openly opposed to it. They recognize this as an opportunity to prepare these groups for inclusion and expose them to the benefits of it by getting youth involved through inclusive sports.

Over nine months, Ilitay and Perizat will get athletes and partners from 2 new Unified Schools and 5 existing ones to participate in the organization and implementation of multiple cycles of sport trainings and competitions. Youth will also have the chance to take part in non-sport-related cultural events. At the end of each cycle, Ilitay and Perizat will encourage schools to share their experience and will then study the results. In order to make an even bigger, country-wide impact on inclusion, Ilitay and Perizat plan to send these results along with recommendations to the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic. As members of the Unified Generation, their mission is to break down barriers in society and show that, “despite differences, all people are equal.”