Multi-purpose playground at Bait Illiqa Centre inaugurated

AMMAN – Under the patronage of HRH Prince Mired, president of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD),Italy’s Ambassador to Jordan Fabio Cassese, WHO Representative to Jordan Jamela Al Raiby and Head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Amman Emilio Cabasino inaugurated the multi-purpose playground of Bait Illiqa Centre on Monday. 

Deputising for Prince Mired, Muhannad Al Azzeh, secretary general of the HCD, attended the inauguration of the playground, which was established as part of the “Strengthening community mental health and disability services for vulnerable populations” project funded by the AICS, according to a WHO statement.

Ambassador Cassese said: “The Government of Italy firmly supports Jordan’s national agenda for the deinstitutionalisation of persons with disabilities, in line with Law 20/2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and praises the efforts done by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities asdriving agent behind this challenging process.”

“Through our longstanding partnership with WHO, we support the creation and the strengthening of comprehensive and integrated mental health and social care services at community level, as a key to help social cohesion and promote inclusive communities,” the ambassador added.

In this regard, Raiby praised the efforts to develop services for children with developmental disorders and disabilities, and their families at the different levels in Jordan, in coordination with all stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Education, the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and all relevant Civil Society Organizations.

“We are confidentthat this playground, besides representing a safe space to support child development through play activities, could become a place to promote encounter, exchange and social interactions with ‘others’, and contribute as a small seed to building a society of tomorrow that can be fair, inclusive, respectful of diversities and capable of enabling each one of us to take his role in the society,” Cabasino added.

Chiara Giorgio, who is in charge of the Bait Illiqa Centre, underlined how the multi-purpose playground was able to open, despite the difficult circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the support of the Italian government and the WHO. 

“This playground will be a sign of great hope for a new beginning in our lives. It is an important part of the village that Bait Illiqa dreams of for our children, youth and their families, which will increase the opportunities of interaction and integration in the community.”

The Bait Illiqa Centre for People with disabilities is a charitable, voluntary humanitarian centre whose goal is to train and rehabilitate people with disabilities and activate their role in society, according to the statement.