(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Kuwaiti Ship Journey of Hope, which is travelling across the world to spread the message on Down Syndrome, autism and learning difficulties, has reached Oman.
Syndrome, autism and learning difficulties, has reached Oman.
Passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the ship reached Musandam on Monday and arrived at Shangri-La's Barr al Jissah Resort & Spa marina at 5pm on Tuesday. It will be docked there until Thursday before heading to Duqm and then to Dhofar on May 17. The ship will leave the sultanate's waters on May 19.
Yousuf Abdulhameed al Jassem, director general, Journey of Hope, said there are 16 travellers on board the ship, including nine crew members. ''Travellers also include two parents with their children with Down Syndrome and two members of a media crew who are documenting the whole trip. The ship will be passing through the waters of 20 countries, visiting 39 ports.
It will visit Washington and New York in the US and then leave for Europe, visiting UK, France, Italy, Greece and Malta, then head towards Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. From there, it will visit Egypt and then pass through the Red Sea to reach Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and then Yemen passing through the Gulf of Aden. It will visit Oman again and then head for the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and back to Kuwait.''
Jassem said the entire journey will take seven months, including 90 sailing days. ''We have already completed 14 days. We will visit Oman again on November 11 during the return leg of the journey. We will visit the headquarters of Special Olympics in Washington and also meet the UN?secretary general while in the US.'' Journey of Hope is expected to reach US shores in mid-September.
Speaking to media after the welcome ceremony, H H Sayyid Faisal bin Turki al Said, chairman of Al Amal Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities and vice-chairman of Oman Special Olympics Committee, said, ''The State of Kuwait adopted this project almost three years ago. The idea was to have a ship carrying young people who could spread awareness on Down Syndrome. ''The main challenge is in changing the outlook of our society towards those affected by the disorder,'' he said.
Khalid Paddy and Meshaal Jassim from Kuwait, who have been participants at the Special Olympics, are among the travellers on board the Journey of Hope. ''Their condition did not stop them from achieving big,'' H H Sayyid Faisal said.
In Oman, the delegation will visit the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities, the Association of Disabled Children and the Directorate General for People with Disabilit
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