For Louis Kleemeyer and Tim Pietrowski from Germany, being part of the Special Olympics Global Youth Leadership Council (GYLC) has been nothing short of life-changing. Their story began three years ago, when both met at a start-up event. Louis was there to represent his own company "Unique United", a platform where companies, organizations, and individuals can share and find barrier-free, inclusive opportunities. Tim remembers: “We kept running into each other, and I heard his story. Later, he asked if I wanted to get involved with Special Olympics—and here we are.”
Over the past 1.5 years, Louis, Tim, and their fellow Council members (with and without intellectual disabilities from all seven Special Olympics regions) have worked hand in hand to conceptualize, plan, and bring to life the Global Youth Leadership Summit. The event aims to empower young leaders from around the world to design, lead, and inspire inclusion projects in their communities.
With the conclusion of the three-day summit, Louis’ and Tim’s term as council members is coming to an end. As they reflect on the event, they see how much it exceeded their expectations. “It was much more colorful, playful, and relaxed than I imagined,” says Tim. “We made so many people happy, brought so many together, and really moved the message of Special Olympics forward.” For Louis, seeing the incredible growth of all council members and participants involved is the most impactful: “We have people here, not even 20 years old, who can speak freely and confidently now. That’s something they could never have imagined before, and it’s something that will empower them in their personal lives, careers, and beyond.”
At the same time both agree: Being on the Council was also a journey for themselves. “Two years ago, I would have never said that I’d stand on a stage and speak English. Back then, I couldn’t speak a word of English. And now I can talk and interact to everyone,” Louis says. Tim reflects: “I come from Germany, and usually we don’t show a lot of emotions. But here, I learned to smile more, to dance, to open up—and that’s something I’ll take into everyday life.”
Their hope? That everyone takes the energy and motivation of the Summit home, to turn ideas into real projects and create a ripple effect of inclusion.
