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More than 40 youth leaders with and without Intellectual disabilities Representatives from 14 Asia-Pacific countries gathered in Singapore earlier in June for “Youth for Inclusion: Scaling Up Community Participation.” Unified Heroes Schools“Summit.
These young leaders, made up of pairs of people with and without intellectual disabilities aged 17 to 24, were invited from different countries around the world. Asia PacificThese include: India, Pakistan, Australia, Indonesia, Thailandthe Filipino, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the moldive Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam And Bhutan.
Organized by Special Olympics Asia Pacific, with support from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al NahyanUnder the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the event served as a platform for youth leaders, mentors and advocates, as well as private sector leaders, to exchange ideas and design joint strategies and pathways that provide equal opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities through inclusive education, community engagement and advocacy.
In total, the three-day event saw the participation of over 100 participants, including speakers and guests from the UAE Embassy, UNDP, Visa, Medtronic, Bank of America, and Hasbro.
There are up to 200 million people with intellectual disabilities worldwide, which remains one of the most underserved and stigmatized populations. That is why opportunities for equality, particularly in promoting inclusive education, are particularly important.
Accordingly, Unified Schools – schools committed to building inclusive school communities for youth of all abilities – have been the foundation for much of Special Olympics’ work focused on the Asia-Pacific region.
Globally, Special Olympics has engaged nearly 200,000 youth in 14 countries and territories through Unified Schools by providing opportunities for youth with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in a wide range of sporting activities and events.
“I am delighted that we have organized this summit to look at expanding Unified Champion Schools (UCS), a model that brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create nurturing and inclusive school environments through sports and youth leadership that truly focuses on whole-school engagement.”
Deepak Nathali, President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Asia Pacific,
“Drawing on the experiences of the Asia Pacific Regional Centres, Special Olympics Pakistan and Special Olympics Bharat (India), which have demonstrated innovation and creativity in advancing UCS’ work in our region, I hope the event will serve as an inspiring and collaborative platform to work collectively towards the ultimate goal of empowering youth of all abilities, by equipping them with the skills to succeed and work towards a more inclusive future.”
UNDP shares Special Olympics’ commitment to creating safe and inclusive spaces for young people from all backgrounds to drive innovative solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals. “UNDP and Special Olympics are partnering to empower underrepresented youth, especially those with intellectual disabilities, to lead a decade of change,” said Dinh Long Pham, UNDP’s Coordinator for Social Entrepreneurship and Youth Innovation.
What are his hopes for the next generation of young leaders? “Start small but dream big. No matter where you come from, you can take action to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and advocate on behalf of your community.”
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