The Special Administration Region (SAR) government of Macao on Thursday announced that it has donated a total of 15 million yuan (2.22 million U.S. dollars) to the organizer of the Paralympics and the China Disabled Persons' Federation.

The SAR government has donated ten million yuan (1.47 million U.S dollars) to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the Olympiad (BOCOG) with the aim of "supporting the nation to held the opening and closing ceremony and advertising and cultural activities of the Beijing 2008 Paralympics," according to a press statement from the SAR government.

Another five million yuan (740,000 dollars) were also donated to the China Disabled Persons' Federation, which will be used to support the Chinese Paralympic team to participate in the Games, the SAR government said.

Representing the SAR government, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Chui Sai On, delivered the donations to the two organizations in Beijing on Tuesday, according to the statement.

The Executive Vice President of the BOCOG thanked the SAR government and its people for their support and concern over the Beijing Paralympics, saying the BOCOG will make all-out efforts to prepare and host the Games.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2008)