The festivals organized by the University of Sport Sciences Faculty Stadium were held for the first time internationally. It was jam-packed with the supporters when the athletes, who brought from their hotels by bus, were taken into the stadium. In the festival, 2100 special athletes attended in total, there were the athletes from Romania, Bosnia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Palestinian, and the participants from 27 provinces in domestic and 39 districts inside of Istanbul.

Mayor of Üskükar Municipality Hilmi Türkmen, who went up to the rostrum after rites of passage of the schools’ corteges, expressed his gratitude to all the institutions that supported the festival. Türkmen thanked once again the administration of Faculty of University and Sports Sciences for the support given by the Special Athletes Festivals for Marmara University Anadoluhisarı Campus.

Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya saluted the tribunes saying “You are the peace pigeons of the world, I embrace you all with love”.

Dean of Faculty of Sport Sciences Salih Pınar, who made a brief speech at the ceremony, said that hosting such a special event is both a task and a source of joy for them.

Provincial Director of Youth and Sports Cemil Boz, Istanbul Provincial Director of National Education Ömer Faruk Yelkenci, Üsküdar District Director of National Education Sinan Aydın, Chairman of Petrol Work Union Ali Ufuk Yaşar, Old National Team Football Player Ogün Temizkanoğlu, Hami Mandıralı and Cüneyt Tanman took part in this special festival and embraced our special athletes.