Vatican City, Oct 13, 2017 / 05:52 am
On Friday, Pope Francis met with soccer players in the Special Olympics, commending their commitment to the promotion of inclusion and the dignity of all.
"You are the symbol of a sport that opens eyes and hearts to the value and dignity of individuals and people who would otherwise be subject to prejudice and exclusion," the Pope said Oct. 13.
The papal audience was part of the 50th anniversary celebrations put on by Special Olympics Italy. Francis met with around 350 participants of a unified soccer tournament taking place in Rome Oct. 12-15.
The event, called "We Change the Game with PlayUnified," involves 120 young athletes, both with and without intellectual disabilities, from the countries of Italy, France, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Romania.