Inclusive Sports Festival Promotes the Rights of Children with Disabilities to Play Together Without Discrimination
10 August 2026
Jakarta, August 9, 2026 – Plan Indonesia, Wahana Inklusif Indonesia, and the National Commission on Disability (KND), supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children, hosted an Inclusive Sports Festival at Menteng Park, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (Aug 9). The event served as a space for children with and without disabilities to play, exercise, and interact on an equal footing.
The festival was attended by students from 10 elementary schools across Jakarta, Depok, and South Tangerang, featuring a diverse range of abilities and learning needs. Participants included children with intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments, Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, slow learners, multiple disabilities, as well as non-disabled peers.
During the event, the children tried three inclusive sports games together: Bocce, Geng Rantai (Chain Gang), and Walking Football. All three games were adapted so that every child could participate without being limited by differences in ability.
The event was attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia, represented by the Secretary of the Deputy for Sports Culture at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Tutut Bina Sulistyowati, and the Governor of Jakarta, represented by the Assistant for Public Welfare of the Jakarta Provincial Secretariat, Ali Maulana Hakim.
Representing the Minister of Youth and Sports, Tutut Bina Sulistyowati emphasized the importance of ensuring that sports are accessible to all children, including those with disabilities.
“Sports are not just about physical activity and achievement, but also about building character, confidence, togetherness, and opportunities to grow. Therefore, every child must have an equal chance to enjoy the benefits of sports. Initiatives like the Inclusive Sports Festival set an example of how we can create spaces that allow children of diverse abilities to play and learn together,” Tutut stated.
In the Governor of Jakarta’s remarks, delivered by Ali Maulana Hakim, it was emphasized that Jakarta, as a global city, must ensure all its citizens—including children with disabilities—receive equal opportunities.
“Jakarta as a global city must offer equal opportunities for every child, including children with disabilities. Playgrounds and sports are every child’s right. Therefore, we must continue pushing for schools, parks, and public facilities in Jakarta to become increasingly inclusive so that no child feels left behind or excluded,” Ali Maulana Hakim delivered on behalf of the Governor.
The Executive Director of Plan Indonesia, Dini Widiastuti, stated that the Inclusive Sports Festival is part of efforts to fulfill children’s rights, including the rights of children with disabilities to play, practice sports, enjoy recreation, and participate equally in community life.
“Through an inclusive sports approach, we create a space where children with and without disabilities can grow, learn, and play together. Playing and sports are rights belonging to all children. When children play together regardless of ability, they learn to appreciate diversity, build empathy, and create a more inclusive environment from an early age,” Dini explained.
According to Dini, inclusivity needs to start from how society designs the spaces and activities children use daily.
“What needs to change is not the child adapting to the environment, but how we design schools, public spaces, games, and learning so they are accessible to all children. This is an essential investment to build a generation that values diversity and ensures no child is left behind due to a disability,” she added.
Commissioner of the National Commission on Disability, Jonna Damanik, added that the right to play and engage in sports is a vital component of fulfilling the rights of children with disabilities.
“Disability is not a barrier to playing or achieving success. Barriers often stem from non-inclusive environments—ranging from facilities and teaching methods to public understanding. Therefore, we encourage schools, local governments, and the public to work together to build spaces that allow all children to participate equally,” Jonna said.
Promoting the Implementation of Inclusive Sports in Schools
Beyond offering a shared play experience, the Inclusive Sports Festival served as a platform to launch the Inclusive Sports Games Module, which contains guidelines for implementing Bocce, Geng Rantai, and Walking Football.
The module was developed to assist teachers, schools, and related parties in implementing sports activities that engage children of all abilities. Moving forward, the module will be submitted to the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) as a reference and recommendation to support inclusive sports activities, particularly in primary schools.
The Chief Organizer of the Inclusive Sports Festival, Nunu Nurdyana, explained that the module was created based on the need to expand sports practices that accommodate all children.
“Many teachers and community members still do not know how to design sports activities that every child can join. Therefore, we didn’t just introduce inclusive games; we also compiled a module to guide teachers and schools. The hope is that no child will be left out simply due to differences in ability,” Nunu stated.
Playing Together, Growing Together
For the participants, the festival offered a fun and new experience. Among them was Alya (11), a student with a disability from Jakarta.
“I’m so happy to play with my friends. I got to try Geng Rantai with everyone. Nobody treated me differently. It made me feel more confident, and I want to play again,” Alya shared.
The Inclusive Sports Festival was also enlivened by joint gymnastics, dance performances, an exhibition of children’s creative works, and music acts. In addition to participants, visitors at Menteng Park had the opportunity to try out the inclusive sports games introduced at the event.
At the conclusion of the event, all participants recited the Shared Play Pledge, committing to making sports and games a safe, inclusive, discrimination-free, and anti-bullying space for every child.
