1990s: Pushing for Inclusion and Improved Health for People with ID

The first International Games are held outside the USA, as Special Olympics gains a greater global foothold. New health programs mark a turning point as well.

Milestones of the 1990s

20-27 March 1993
Opening Ceremony at the 5th Special Olympics International Winter Games in Schladming, Austria. These Games -- hosted in both Schladming and Salzburg -- are the first International Games held outside the USA.

March 1993
The 1993 International Winter Games in Austria set national records for media coverage. These Games also marked the first time a head of state took part in Opening Ceremony.

1-9 July 1995
Several new initiatives make their debut at the 9th Special Olympics World Summer Games in New Haven, Conn., USA. These include the Host Town Program, Healthy Athletes®, and Research and Policy Symposia. In addition, for the first time, people with intellectual disabilities serve as certified officials.

July 1995
A glimpse of the record-breaking crowd at Opening Ceremony for the 1995 World Summer Games at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn. US President Clinton was on hand to open the Games.

"All Human Beings Are More Alike Than We Are Unalike"

Maya Angelou delivered a message of inclusion at the 1999 Special Olympics World Games Opening Ceremony in North Carolina.

January 1997
Healthy Athletes becomes an official Special Olympics initiative, providing health-care services to Special Olympics athletes worldwide. The program includes free vision, hearing and dental screening, injury prevention clinics and nutrition education. The Healthy Athletes program has provided more than 1.7 million free health examinations in more than 130 countries since its creation in 1997.

Special Olympics Mexico swimmer Michelle Falcon has her vision tested.

20 July 1998
Special Olympics celebrates its 30th anniversary with the introduction of the first Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers. These 12 remarkable men and women travel the world as spokespeople for the rights and respect for people with intellectual disabilities over a two-year term.

17 December 1998
U.S. President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton host “A Very Special Christmas from Washington, D.C.” It's the first time the White House hosts a Special Olympics gala and the first time that artists from “A Very Special Christmas” album series gather together to perform. In 2000, President and Mrs. Clinton host “A Very Special Christmas” for the second time.

Read more about the history of Special Olympics

Out of the Shadows: Events Leading to the Founding of Special Olympics

A chronology of the people and events that led to creation of the world’s largest organization dedicated to promoting respect, inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities.

Camp Shriver - The Beginning of a Movement

When people speak of the origin of Special Olympics, they look no further than the first Camp Shriver—founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in the early 1960s. They talk of one woman's dream that started in her own backyard.

1960s: The Beginning of a Worldwide Movement

It all began in the 1950s and early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. She decided to take action.

1968 Games

Fifty years ago, the world began to change for the better, for millions of people with intellectual disabilities—and for all those who love them. And it started in Chicago, Illinois.

1970s: A Joyful New Movement Gains Momentum

Stigma facing people with intellectual disabilities is slowly being replaced with respect and admiration—on the playing fields and off.

1980s: Recognition and Growth Around the World

From the United Nations to the International Olympics Committee, Special Olympics gains recognition as the premier sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities around the world.

1990s: Pushing for Inclusion and Improved Health for People with ID

The first International Games are held outside the USA, as Special Olympics gains a greater global foothold. New health programs mark a turning point as well.

2000s: The Sun Never Sets on the Special Olympics Movement

Our fourth decade is all about growth. Millions of athletes are taking part in thousands of competitions every year. The sun never sets on the Special Olympics movement!

2010s: Building an Inclusive World

As the movement continues to grow, the joy of Unified Sports is bringing together people with and without intellectual disabilities on every continent. We invite the world to come play with us -- and experience the transformative power of sports!