Három, kettő, egy (3,2,1)…and thankfully the gun goes off when I squeeze the trigger, starting the family race in this year’s Vivicitta Budapest. (Vivicitta is an international running event held in April in more than 50 cities to promote “sport for all”.)
The competitors – including my colleagues Eva and Levi – surge forward. Among them are volunteers and visually impaired and disabled participants (most of the latter in wheelchairs), wearing the blue tee-shirts of the “Suhanj!” Foundation. Which is why we’re here near Heroes’ Square on this sunny but blustery day, together with a sizeable crowd of spectators.
The “Suhanj!” Foundation was started as a charity last year by Peter Gusztos and his wife the well-known actress Patricia Kovacs, who are both present. Their aim is to share the joy of movement with the disabled and visually impaired and to raise awareness of the discrimination they have to face on a daily basis. They participate in many running events and diversity workshops and we are supporting them this year in organising indoor programmes of spinning and yoga for their members. “Suhanj!” participated in our recent countdown event that looked forward to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, at which we signed an agreement with the Hungarian Paralympic Committee to work to raise the profile of sport for disabled people.
