Thousands Run to Raise Awareness of Learning Difficulties

On your marks. Get set. Go!

The countdown to the National Day for Students with Learning Difficulties on April 22 has begun! Things got off to a great start when over 1,200 young people raced in the Beirut Youth Marathon on April 2 to raise awareness of the National Day and children with learning differences. SKILD staff visited many of their partner schools to invite students to run in the 5km race and were overjoyed that so many took part.

Betty Gemayel Maamari’s children ran the race to raise awareness of the National Day and to also say thank you for the help they have received. Her autistic son, Curt, comes to the SKILD Center every week for multi-sensory therapy to develop his life and social skills. “We are so grateful to SKILD,” she says. “They are raising a voice for our kids.”

This is the second time the National Day has been promoted through the Beirut Youth Marathon. LSESD CEO Nabil Costa is really pleased with how the inclusive message they are sharing is being communicated through the event. “It is very encouraging to see after two years how awareness is increasing and acceptance for the cause of special needs is getting much more popular,” Nabil says.

The Youth Marathon was the first of many initiatives planned for the National Day for Students with Learning Difficulties in 2017.