Sending a delegation of army women and men who have disability can offer some hope that more attention and more resources will be dedicated in the future to the whole population of citizens living with disabilities. Let's call this the moral reason for Nepal to be at the 2023 Invictus Games, and this is the prime motive
Back in April, I wrote a piece for this column, a pitch for Nepal to be part of the next Invictus Games to be held in Düsseldorf 2023. For those of you unaware of what the Invictus Games are, here is a short recap.
An idea of the Duke of Sussex, mostly known as Prince Harry of the British Royal family, the Games are a showcase of resilience and determination, the only games that bring together former service personnel, military women and men who got wounded during their duties.
In that pitch, I made the case on why Nepal should have its own delegation to the next edition of the Games, and now the time is ticking and we need to get into action.
The main rationale, as I tried to explain then, was that Nepal counts on a large population of persons with disabilities, many of which were sustained in accidents during the civil war, and there is no better symbolic way to promote social inclusion and disability rights than the Invictus Games.
Plus the Army counts with Lt. Colonel Pawan Ghimire, a rock star in the field of disability sports and who also has a very strong wheelchair basketball team.
Being able to send even a small delegation to Düsseldorf would be a great way to celebrate the peace process that – though incomplete as we know due to the lack of progress in matters of restorative justice related to the war – can, without doubt, be considered a success story.
If the country wants to officially participate in this incredible festival where hundreds of athletes compete for glory and fame in a multiple array of disciplines, we need to hurry up, and we need leadership within the Nepal Army and within the political forces.
Now I have to ask for a favour to all of you. I had already done that last time, but apparently it did not work out. We need to ensure that the right people in the government and in the Army read this piece and understand how potentially transformative it can be to have a Nepali delegation to the Games.
This is the favour: please share this piece, talk about it and make sure that the highest decision-makers of the country think about it. Maybe you know a member of the local government, please share it. Maybe you know someone in the Provincial or Federal parliaments, please share it. Maybe you have a family member who is in the Nepal Army, please do share it.
Even if we want to think bigger, we could do a public petition to have Nepal at the Invictus Games.
As I just explained, there is a strong rationale because Nepal has still a long way to go to better the lives and conditions of persons with disabilities. The progresses made so far cannot be discounted, but they are not nearly enough to meet the challenges on the ground.
So sending a delegation of army women and men who have disability can offer some hope that more attention and more resources will be dedicated in the future to the whole population of citizens living with disabilities. Let's call this the moral reason for Nepal to be at the 2023 Invictus Games, and this is the prime motive.
Then there is another one and is actually is more subtle and less substantive but equally important: image and PR.
I know I risk being criticised here, but the truth is that the country could immensely benefit out of this opportunity. It would be a PR exercise but one with great moral value. It is an opportunity for Nepal to get into the global stage and not as a developing, poor nation but as a proud, independent and sovereign country with a century of history.
Despite the problems, Nepal is in many ways an outlier, and it is so in a positive way: a unique nation, very diverse and confidently moving ahead in its development trajectory.
The challenges ahead can be faced if the country comes together and stop neglecting those on the bottom. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups rising and showing the way, but still the majority is unable to do so.
A Game is just a Game, let's be honest. It is not that all the problems faced by persons with disabilities will disappear if the country makes to Düsseldorf, but still symbolism counts.
Sending a delegation of sportswomen and sportsmen from the Nepal Army to this event requires several steps, but mostly it is about taking a commitment, and for this we need the leadership at the highest levels.
Funding can be an issue, but probably it is not as insurmountable as some might think. I sincerely hope that the Chief of Army Staff reads this article and get persuaded about the cause. I also hope that some advisors of Prime Minister Deuba read this piece and also convey the message to their boss. If there is a bipartisan issue, this would be one, and there is no reason a party would oppose the start of the process.
Perhaps also the Nepal Britain Society and its twin, the Britain Nepal Society, can take notice of this event and support the process.
While the Invictus Games are not an initiative of the UK government but basically a not-for-profit initiative, we need to use all the levers to bring Nepal to the next Games. This is a worthy cause and a platform for Nepal to shine on the world stage.
Galimberti is the co-founder of ENGAGE. Opinions expressed are personal.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 11, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
