Around the world, millions of people are celebrating: on playing fields and ski slopes; in hockey rinks and swimming pools; in stadiums and on the streets. On Special Olympics' 40th anniversary, we celebrate four decades of empowerment and transformation for individuals with intellectual disabilities, their families, their communities – and their fans.
She Started It: Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver with some young fans. Read her biography.
It started in 1968 with Eunice Kennedy Shriver's vision: to bring sports training and competition to people with intellectual disabilities, so that they might break free of society’s expectations and have fun, earn respect and be accepted in their communities.
Over the past 40 years, millions of athletes have done just that. They’ve competed in marathons, broken weight lifting records, hit home runs and overcome impressive obstacles to achieve their personal bests, from throwing a shot put for the first time to completing an Iron Man Triathlon.
Forty Years of Change
Many athletes, like Florence Nabayinda of Uganda, have become valued voices for people with intellectual disabilities in their home countries. Some, like Kevin Erickson of the United States, have inspired millions by playing alongside nationally known elite athletes. Thousands of others have become athlete leaders, coaches and officials in the Special Olympics movement, and have given back by speaking to the public about the remarkable changes Special Olympics has brought about in their lives.
The remarkable personal transformation, confidence and optimism of Special Olympics athletes have been surprising people and winning fans worldwide for 40 years – opening eyes and minds in communities worldwide and inspiring all of us in the Special Olympics family to recommit daily to our mission and vision: to transform more lives through the power of sport.
Every Day of the Year
Every day, 365 days a year, the global Special Olympics community does everything in its power to challenge intolerance and create opportunity for people with intellectual disabilities in every corner of the globe, from major urban centers to the most remote villages on earth. Whether we’re bringing medical professionals together to volunteer their services at Healthy Athletes screenings, or conducting crucial attitude research for presentation to world leaders, Special Olympics is working to advance the cause of human dignity for our athletes.
Though we are always seeking new ways to have an impact, we remain true to our core mission of sports training and competition. Today, Special Olympics remains the largest sports organization in the world for people with intellectual disabilities. In more than 180 countries around the globe, 2.8 million athletes play 30 Olympic-type sports. Athletes and coaches practice daily and compete publicly in nearly 30,000 competitions per year. Over 750,000 volunteers support our sports programs, from the local level to the World Games, making Special Olympics the largest grass-roots movement in the world. Wherever we are active, so too is a thriving and diverse community. We are united in one vision: to improve opportunity for people with intellectual disabilities and, in the process, to make the world a more accepting place for everyone.
We take this time of celebration to thank all of you who have helped us to get to where we are today. But as we enjoy the celebration, let us not forget the challenges ahead. For Special Olympics athletes and their families, the struggle for acceptance is never over. Unfortunately, lying beyond every achievement is often another barrier. We must work tirelessly with and on behalf of the 200 million people with intellectual disabilities worldwide. Amid the celebration, we must remember we still have a long way to travel in our journey.
What YOU Can Do
You can help Special Olympics create the world of acceptance we envision today.
Donate now, or volunteer even just a few hours of your time at a Special Olympics program near you, and we will be that much closer to a world of unity, joy and dignity for all of us.