On Monday, 21 July 2020, Special Olympics, Special Olympics announced the next phase of global expansion of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (UCS)—one of the largest initiatives for inclusion in education for young people with and without intellectual disabilities—through the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.
Building on over a decade of success of UCS in the United States and growing impact in more than fifty other countries around the world, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has committed $25 million on behalf of the people of the UAE in order to bring this initiative to six countries—Argentina, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Romania and Rwanda. Special Olympics will lead the growth of UCS in these countries, empowering young leaders to create lasting social change through inclusion in education for people with and without intellectual disabilities.