Families: The Life Force of our Movement

Families are the life force of Special Olympics and their engagement is as vital to the success of the athletes as it is to the amplification of our mission. This year, the Coronavirus pandemic forced us all to reconsider the way we lead our everyday lives and find ways to adjust to the restrictions of quarantine. Like many of us, Special Olympics athletes felt confused by the sudden disruption of their routines and turned to the loving support of their families to find alternative ways to keep active, energised, happy and healthy.

During the lockdown, almost 40 families across Europe Eurasia welcomed us into their homes to show – through home videos—how cooking, playing, dancing, training and, of course, connecting with each other, helped them cope with the isolation. Most importantly, the parents in each family expressed to the world how deeply proud they are of their children—for the wonderful people that they are. With this video, we wish to honour the unwavering devotion of the 50,000 parents of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia and thank them for their dedication which gives strength, vitality and the deepest felt humanity to our movement—in times of crisis and beyond.