Just one year ago, Special Olympics athletes triumphantly participated in the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. Special Olympics World Games 2023 In the vibrant German city of Berlin, athletes from the inclusion movement marched through an Olympic stadium filled with more than 80,000 spectators, taking their rightful place on the world stage of sport and humanity.
Athletes launch a challenge to the world
It was a sight to behold: more than 6,500 athletes from 180 nations coming together in a stunning celebration of limitless human potential. The Games were the biggest sporting and humanitarian event of the year and re-lit the Olympic flame in Berlin after more than eight decades – a resounding echo of history, reflection and progress. With the global community cheering them on, Special Olympics athletes challenged the world to build on a growing legacy – uniting the world to replace exclusion and division with inclusion and solidarity. The athletes challenged the world to listen and follow their call to action, a call that resonated in every competition, and on every medal podium.
Beyond the competition, athletes have also proven to be catalysts for a transformative legacy, one that is still in the making. Through their example, their legacy at the Games dares to bring the benefits of inclusive development to every school, community and sports club around the world. Special Olympics athletes have inspired the movement to create the first-ever Global Alliance for Inclusion.
Birth of the Alliance
This was made possible thanks to a generous grant from Stavros Niarchos Foundationthe Special Olympics Global Alliance for Inclusion This initiative has emerged as a growing multi-stakeholder platform that encourages national governments to allocate domestic resources to scale up inclusive sports programmes in schools for young people of all abilities. It is a coalition that brings together governments, UN agencies, the private sector, philanthropic leaders, civil society organisations, academia and more – all driven by a clear mission: to make inclusion an integral part of the academic and social journey of all young people.
It’s a legacy that’s gaining momentum.
National governments around the world are making significant commitments to expand the reach and impact of Unified Sports and Unified Schools programs – strengthening national ministries and communities alike. The Special Olympics Global Alliance for Inclusion has a growing membership. The alliance now includes Jamaica, Paraguay, Panama, Iceland, Montenegro, Kenya, China, Mongolia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Angola, Kosovo, Seychelles, Ghana, Malta, and more. Together, these countries represent a truly global group of nations committed to empowering people with intellectual disabilities through sport. Collectively, they are harnessing the transformative power of the Special Olympics movement to bring key international treaties – such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – to life.
Key members – such as Lions Clubs International FoundationUNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR and leading textile brand H&M Move are now working closely with national and regional Special Olympics organizations. Their shared mission is to deepen relationships, create sustainable community networks of support and promote the physical, social, mental and emotional benefits that come from fitness and participation in sport.
A tremendous legacy that continues to grow.
As the Special Olympics movement and global community celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Global Alliance for Inclusion, countless students have now had the opportunity to learn, thrive and participate. Families of youth with intellectual disabilities can now see their children as team members, not strangers. Teachers are now equipped with the skills and tools to make inclusion a core part of whole-school engagement. And community leaders now have the platform to make sports clubs and community centers welcoming places for all. It’s a tremendous legacy that is growing—toward Special Olympics’ global vision of bringing inclusive programming to 150,000 schools worldwide, engaging 2 million new youth of all abilities.
And the movement has just begun.
More information about The Special Olympics Global Alliance for Inclusion can be found here.
