As Guangzhou heads into the last 100 days before the opening of the Asian Para Games, authorities pledged on Friday to build a barrier-free environment for disabled participants and local disabled people.

"The opening of the Games will be an important moment for the city to enhance its barrier-free facilities and beef up education and employment for disabled persons," said Xie Xile, vice-director general of the Guangdong Disabled Persons' Federation.

Some 19 competitive events are included in the Asian Para Games, slated for Dec 12-19. More than 3,000 disabled athletes, 2,000 sports officials and 1,100 technical officials are expected to participate in the Games.

The upcoming event is the first to be called the Asian Para Games, replacing the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, which were held nine times.

The host city has enhanced its barrier-free facilities for the disabled in public areas, sports venues and designated hotels, Xie said.

For example, some 113 walkways have been renovated and 75 new walkways for the blind were built, sources with the Games' organizing committee said.

Liang Zuoyi, director general of the Guangzhou Disabled Persons' Federation, said the city will also introduce some 500 barrier-free buses, 100 minibuses and 100 taxis specially designed for the disabled during the Games.

"Improved barrier-free facilities in public areas and sports venues will greatly help the disabled have better experiences in our city," Liang said.

The construction of barrier-free facilities will not stop after the Games, Liang said.

"Authorities here will continue their efforts to build better facilities to benefit local disabled people," he said.

He Shui, a local disabled resident, said the renovations have already improved his life.

"It is easier for me to go on streets after the barrier-free facilities were renovated. The government should also pay attention to providing better welfare for the disabled," he said.

Along with the construction of barrier-free facilities, local authorities have sought other ways to help the disabled, such as ending employment discrimination, Liang said.

Guangdong has some 5.4 million disabled people, of which up to 60 percent have been employed, according to Liang.

In the provincial capital city alone, the rate of employment for the disabled reached 85 percent last year, according to Liang.

"Along with improved barrier-free facilities, an equal and fair education and employment environment also plays an important role for the disabled," Liang said.

Sun Huimin, a disabled man, suggested the government provide more job opportunities in the IT industry - a practice that has helped the disabled in the United States.

"For example, we can set up call centers that will provide jobs for disabled people," said Sun, who runs a software company in Guangzhou.

Also on Friday, charitable contributions were raised at a special gala to celebrate the 100-day countdown to the Asian Para Games.

Some enterprises pledged to collect more than 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million) in donations.

The donations will be used to support athletes from 41 Asian countries and regions participating in the Games and improve the welfare of 520,000 local disabled people, sources with the Games' organizing committee said.

(China Daily September 4, 2010)