Tokyo 2020 has held public events to mark four years to go until the Paralympic Games ©Tokyo 2020

Two public events involving schoolchildren have been held in Tokyo today to mark exactly four years to go until the 2020 Paralympic Games begin in the Japanese capital.

Tokyo 2020 claim they were held to show the Organising Committee’s pledge to celebrate “Unity in Diversity” and to allow children to gain awareness of how people with disabilities overcome their challenges.

Ninety-four youngsters took part in a sitting volleyball demonstration at the Keyaki No Mori School, which was attended by the Japanese national team.

Children were given the chance to write messages of support for the nation’s athletes who are set to compete at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, scheduled to run from September 7 to 18.

They also learned more about the Paralympic values to give them a better understanding of the world of Para-sport.

“It is a pleasure and an honour to be a part of this celebration today, helping to show today’s children that Paralympic sport is a competitive high-performance activity,” Japanese women’s sitting volleyball team captain Michiyo Nishiie said.

“I’m convinced that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will create a new generation of sporting heroes from Japan and all over the world, and will make a significant contribution to international Paralympic awareness.”

A sitting volleyball event attracted 94 participants in Tokyo ©Tokyo 2020
A sitting volleyball event attracted 94 participants in Tokyo ©Tokyo 2020

The other event saw around 150 people, including local children, re-arrange giant Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games emblems into the Paralympic Games logos in the presence of designer Asao Tokolo.

The emblems had been the subject of controversy when the original logos were scrapped following a plagiarism row.

Barcelona 1992 Olympic swimming gold medallist Kyoko Iwasaki was joined at the event by Japanese Para-athlete Mami Tani and Para-canoiest Monika Seryu.

“Diversity and inclusion are at the very heart of our vision for Tokyo 2020 and one of the major legacies we are aiming for,” Tokyo 2020 vice-director general Hiroshi Sato said.

“I am really excited to have joined today’s event, and we look forward to regularly staging similar awareness-raising activities in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Games.”

The events were held the day after the Olympic Flag arrived in Tokyo following its journey from Rio.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are due to run from August 25 to September 6.