On the afternoon of this Thursday (December 1st), the audience of the III Seminar in Commemoration of the International Day of the People with Disabilities got to know examples of stories that prove the importance of sports for the inclusion and purpose of the lives of people. The event took place in the auditorium of the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins (TJTO).
The meeting was promoted by the Permanent Commission of Accessibility and Inclusion of the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins (CPAI) and the Coordination of Socio-environmental Management and Social Responsibility (Cogersa). The initiative was held in partnership with the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat).
Members of the “Reviver” Institute - Center for education, sport and culture activities for people with disabilities attended the lecture on "The strength of sport in the life of people with disabilities", with Soraia Maria Tomaz, President and founder of the Institute. Professor Adriana Magna mediated the meeting.
"Before I didn't do anything. I suffered prejudice because I wanted to be a goalkeeper. I have no movement in my left arm, but I defended. I was sad about that. I took a test and the teacher saw that I was faster than everyone. She pointed me to athletics. I didn't want to, but I went. I got in and never left," said Domingos Ferreira Sousa Silva, who practices athletics through the “Reviver” Institute.
Roberto Silva, also a member of the Institute, shared his story during the lecture. "I had an accident a year and a half ago and today I am a wheelchair user. The project gave me an incentive for my life. Now I play basketball. We find many barriers when we have a disability. The project is very good. It makes us see life in a different way", he said. Maria Flávia Fernandes da Silva, a para-athlete in swimming, also participated. The young woman has already won more than 100 medals.
The project
The focus of the “Reviver” Institute is inclusion through sports. Currently, in the State, 434 people are impacted, among beneficiaries and family members. There are six modalities (cycling, adapted bocce, swimming, athletics, basketball and table tennis).
In the lecture, Soraia Maria Tomaz presented the institute and its goals for 2023. She highlighted the benefits of sports for the lives of people with some kind of disability. She informed that the capital will have a Reference Center next year. Clubs and associations can be partners.
The place will have sports initiation (focus on people between 8 and 17 years old) for people with physical, intellectual, and visual disabilities. Another purpose is to detect paralympic talents.
For more information: Center for Training and Improvement of Magistrates (NUFAM) — Telephone: 3218–4408. E-mail:
