ABU DHABI- Special Olympics UAE received a delegation from Special Olympics Austria, which included several competitors who are people of determination and administrative staff.

During the visit, the two sides held several joint sporting and cultural events as part of the programme, titled, "Building Bridges between Abu Dhabi and Austria" which was previously inaugurated.

A basketball match was organised between the two sides and several folklore shows, as part of the initiatives of the Special Olympics UAE.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the two countries to enhance cooperation through exchanges, organising sporting and cultural events, and supporting people of determination.

The seven-day visit of the Austrian delegation included joint sessions involving competitors from both sides and training workshops on how to present joint folklore and heritage shows.

The Austrian delegation toured around the country including a visit to Expo 2020 Dubai, where its members performed a heritage show in the Austrian pavilion.

Special Olympics UAE is expected to send a similar delegation to Austria in the near future.

Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, said the Special Olympics organisation aims to organise events that would positively effect competitors, noting that the Austrian delegation’s visit and the MoU’s signing will boost their bilateral cooperation.

"The activities carried out between Emirati and Austrian competitors during the visit confirm our commitment to ensuring the engagement of people of determination from around the world and enabling them to benefit from sporting and cultural events," he added.

A top official at Special Olympics Austria lauded the visit’s schedule, including several sporting and cultural activities.