This time please allow me to welcome you in the first place as a former top athlete and Olympian and only afterwards as President of the National Sports Office.
The reason is that this event is just about sport.
About the will to win, about sacrifice, pain and joy, team work and individual performance, honor, value, success and defeat - in one word about sports and sportsmen and sportswomen.
This event is about us, former and present athletes, as well about all those whose soul makes a motion when they see a veritable and true contest. This is particularly true when this performance is realized by our fellow-beings whose life is more difficult because of a disability which sometimes makes hard even their everyday life.
I have a heartfelt admiration towards those who are able to transform a disadvantage into an advantage! Towards those who, instead of complaining, show to the world what they really are capable of! Towards those who realise such an extraordinary performance which makes all of us take our hats off!
Let their attitude, perseverance and strength give an example to all of us!
Please allow me to wish everybody a great time at the events of the First International Paralympic Sports Film Festival and of the Budapest Bridge Festival held at the same time!
Dr. Attila Ábrahám
President of the National Sports Office