Stories
These global stories are about the power of Special Olympics to inspire hope, confidence and courage. Special Olympics changes the lives of our athletes with intellectual disabilities but also our coaches, families, volunteers and others who have the opportunity to take part.
Special Olympics Receives Prestigious Empress Theophano Award and Hosts Inclusive Sports Panel Highlighting the Social Role Sports Plays in Creating a More Inclusive World
The fifth ‘Empress Theophano’ Prize was awarded to Special Olympics, Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver and CEO Mary Davis last week in Thessaloniki, Greece in a moving ceremony in the 2000-year-old Rotunda in Thessaloniki, Greece, in the presence of hundreds of global actors in the development community.
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Special Olympics Ohio Athlete Adam Gilmer Takes His Talents Towards the Big Screen
Special Olympics continues to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month highlighting Special Olympics Ohio athlete, Adam Gilmer, who is pursuing work in the television/media industry.
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Aspen DeField Takes Lifelong Sports Lessons and Implements Them into Special Olympics
Since 2007, Aspen DeField has coached Special Olympics athletes in a variety of sports, showing incredible dedication to advancing the mission of inclusion through sport.
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Prioritise Inclusive Healthcare for People with Disabilities
The following article titled "Prioritise inclusive healthcare for people with disabilities" was originally published by Mail and Guardian. The article details how South Africa is working towards a future of better health inclusion and outcomes for people with IDD through participation in the Rosemary Collaboratory Initiative.
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Former Special Olympics North America Athlete Now Reports for ESPN
Special Olympics North America communications specialist and athlete reporter, RJ Nealon, transitioned from competing with Special Olympics to now serving as a journalist and reporter for Special Olympics.
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Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis Joins US Government Delegation for First-Ever G7 Ministers' Meeting on Inclusion and Disability
At the first-ever G7 Ministers' Meeting on Inclusion and Disability, held in Umbria, Italy from October 14 – 16, 2024, Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis commended attending governments for pledging to take actionable steps to remove barriers for persons with disabilities, but called on leaders to commit to more ambitious financing and to institutionalize advancing disability rights in all subsequent G7 presidencies.
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Excellence in Action: Expanding Unified Champion Schools Across Africa
In September 2024, Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education and Special Olympics Rwanda hosted the Excellence in Action: Expanding Unified Champion Schools workshop, with support from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, an event aimed at introducing and expanding Unified Champion Schools (UCS) programming.
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Resurgence Of ‘R-Word’ Alarms Disability Advocates
The following is an excerpt from Disability Scoop’s article, “Resurgence Of ‘R-Word’ Alarms Disability Advocates,” detailing Special Olympics’ work to stop the use of the R-Word and the rise in the use of the term in recent times.
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Breaking Barriers for Health and Inclusion at the Special Olympics IV Latin American Games
On the sidelines of the Special Olympics IV Latin American Games, the importance of global health partnerships for health system strengthening took center court.
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Special Olympics Co-Hosts World Health Summit Session on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities
Special Olympics joined a consortium of global health leaders at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany to highlight the topic of disability inclusion in health and advocate for the needs of persons with disabilities.
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Call to Action: Empowering Through Sports
The International Sports for Development Forum calls on society to recognize the transformative power of sports to promote social inclusion.
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Special Olympics Athlete Cody Field Joins WWE as WrestleMania XL Impact Correspondent
Cody Field is a seasoned Special Olympics athlete who has been with the movement for over 20 years. He is a Special Olympics Colorado snowboarder and skier who competed in the 10th Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea as well as five different X Games in their Unified snowboarding competitions.
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