Middle East/North Africa Region

Since 1999, Special Olympics' work has been expanding rapidly in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA). Special Olympics MENA holds a successful track record of Regional Games since 1999, award-winning World Games in 2019, the first-ever Pan African Games 2020, Unified Sports, and local and regional competitions that build inclusion, truly led by the athletes. Beyond sport, year-round activities of Special Olympics MENA activate siblings, youth, health practitioners in all fields, families, young athletes, volunteers, supporters, change agents, and people from all walks of life to create regional impact that drives the global movement of inclusion.
Stories from Middle East/North Africa
Snow in the Desert: An Alpine Skier from Egypt Wins at the World Winter Games
Antwan “Tony” Saad developed a passion for skiing but has a very peculiar dilemma: his home country of Egypt only receives snow on the rarest of occasions (sometimes years apart). This presents a challenge for someone looking to hone their craft in Alpine Skiing.
1 Min Read
From Basketball Bonds to Floorball Finals: The Power of Friendship for Special Olympics Morocco
Special Olympics Morocco athlete Imane Bouissane and her teammates are participating in their first World Winter Games in floorball, a sport they’ve only learned in the past two years.
1 Min Read
Turin 2025: Must-See Moments, According to our Athletes
With the lighting of the ‘Flame of Hope’ at Turin’s Inalpi Arena on Saturday night, the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games were officially declared open, marking the start of the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event of the year.
1 Min Read
Middle East/North Africa Contact Information
IN PERSON
Trivium Zayed Complex
Building A - Offices 202-203-204
El Bostan Street - Sheikh Zayed City
October - Giza 12588 – Egypt
Building A - Offices 202-203-204
El Bostan Street - Sheikh Zayed City
October - Giza 12588 – Egypt
Middle East/North Africa Programs
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Algeria
Special Olympics Algeria provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Bahrain
Special Olympics Bahrain provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Comoros
Special Olympics Comoros provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Djibouti
Special Olympics Djibouti provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Egypt
Special Olympics Egypt provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Iran
Special Olympics Iran provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities to develop… -
Iraq
Special Olympics Iraq provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities to develop… -
Jordan
Special Olympics Jordan provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Kuwait
Special Olympics Kuwait provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Lebanon
Special Olympics Lebanon provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Libya
Special Olympics Libya provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Mauritania
Special Olympics Mauritania provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Morocco
Special Olympics Morocco provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Oman
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.Special Olympics Oman was established as a Special Olympics Founding Committee in 2016.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a… -
Palestine
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes… -
Qatar
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes… -
Saudi Arabia
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation… -
Sudan
Special Olympics Sudan provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Syria
Special Olympics Syria provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities… -
Tunisia
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes… -
United Arab Emirates
Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering. -
Yemen
Special Olympics Yemen provides empowerment, acceptance and joy. But for every Special Olympics athlete, there are many people with intellectual disabilities we haven’t reached yet. It’s at the local level—right here—where interested volunteers meet the athletes. That’s where the perceptions start to change and where the miracle of transformation takes place.Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities…

Middle East/North Africa Region Resources
Access Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa (SO MENA) resources.