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Salute to the unconquerable spirit: Invictus Games
Suman Das/IBNS

Salute to the unconquerable spirit: Invictus Games

India Blooms News Service | | 16 Nov 2016, 05:45 am
Toronto, Nov 15 (IBNS): In a press conference organized by the National Ethnic Press Council of Canada (NEPCC), CEO of Invictus Games, Michael Burns informed the media how the games in 2017 will spread across the country, bringing in all war veterans and their families under one roof.

Burns says, “Invictus is a Latin word which means unconquered. And the motto of the games is ‘I AM the master of my fate, I AM the captain of my soul.”

Established in 2014, by the ace Prince Harry, Invictus Games are the only adaptive sporting event for the soldiers who were wounded, became ill and got injured serving at the line of duty, as being part of the active army or as service veterans.

However, Burns says the basic difference between the Invictus Games and the Paralympic games is “a medically fit person, a soldier, yet dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Injury competes with a physically challenged person, or with an operational disordered person.”

“Also as there will be integrated games, so one will get a chance to see few able-bodied people and disabled people of both genders competing against each other, side by side to show their Invictus spirit,” explains Burns.

67 percent of the Canadians have a personal connection to the military, through the family bonding. Coincidentally, 75 percent of the Canadians believe the Invictus Games have the power to transform how people think about mental illness and disability.

Burns says, “The games will also help commemorate significant Canadian military milestones that have shaped and defined our nation, including the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimmy Ridge and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Dieppe.”

The Sheraton Centre of Toronto will be the Games Village and will host over 550 competitors from 17 nations for a period of 8 days of real sportsmanship.

“The 2017 Invictus Games will be a historic opportunity for Canada and its citizens to pay tribute to and support our wounded, ill and injured soldiers, along with their families, for the sacrifices they make every day on behalf of the 35 million of us,” explains Burns who along with his team are campaigning across Canada to spread awareness about the games and enroll volunteers to organize it the large scale. 

“This country’s non-military citizens actively look for ways to express their gratitude to our military, and the Invictus Games will provide an ideal forum for what we know will be an unprecedented outpouring of support,” Burns adds.

Toronto already has the required infrastructure to host the games slated for September 2017.

“The games will use the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games venues including the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre and Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre of Toronto, also the iconic Toronto sites such as the Toronto Island Parks, Fort York National Historic Site and St. George’s Golf and Country Club,” informs Burns.

The recently announced Team Canada co-captains Captain Simon Mailloux and Master Corporal (Retired) Natacha Dupuis are currently coping with physical and mental wounds because of their service and have used the Invictus Games to help them regain a fresh life off from the scars.

The Invictus games also attributes the services laid down by the army dogs. The mascot ‘Vimy’ as he is fondly named after the iconic Battle of Vimy Ridge is a Labrador Retriever.

Vimy was trained in the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton to be a detection dog. He had a sharp nose, which helped him to sniff out explosives and illegal chemicals from a far-off distance.

Apart from his strong sense of detection, Vimy is also a very friendly dog. He is currently visiting new children in different schools, educating them about the selfless service and dedication that the soldiers do for the country.

“Vimy is around the country on a tour to spread the unconquerable Invictus spirit. With high fives, hugs, photo moments, Vimy is interacting with volunteers, service families, the public and the competitors,” says an excited Burns, as he introduces Vimy to a group of journalists and reporters inside the jam-packed Toronto city hall room.

People from all walks of life are encouraged to volunteer for the games in various ways. The team Invictus is presently accepting volunteers for the games.

(Reporting by Debarati Mukherjee)
 

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