Sargent Shriver Global Messengers 2018 – 2023

As the year draws to a close, four Athlete Leaders from across our region, Kiera, Margaret, Gilmour and Inge reflect on their highlights from 2024 and look forward to the year to come!

Of all the celebrations that take place during the holidays, there is one that will forever stand out to the Special Olympics athletes, youth leaders, supporters and staff who attended. On December 10, 2024, President Joe Biden hosted a dinner titled, “A Christmas for All: Celebration of Unity, America and Special Olympics.” The event recognized the work that Special Olympics, with the support of the Biden administration and Members of Congress, has done to engage U.S. government officials, educators, health professionals, parents, coaches, youth and communities everywhere to not only fight intolerance, but inspire us all to be more inclusive.

The Special Olympics Europe Eurasia Regional Leadership Conference, hosted by Special Olympics Germany and supported by the German Ministry for the Interior and Community, Sports Metropolis Berlin, Toyota Motor Europe and Lions Clubs International Foundation, took place in Berlin on 15 and 16 October.

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.

The SO MENA MATP Coach event was conducted in Kuwait from September 6 – 10, 2024.

In a week of activities to mark the one-year anniversary of the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023, the official media and awareness report was published and a global webinar charting the event’s ongoing legacy impact was held.

Special Olympics Board Chair Dr. Timothy Shriver poses with Special Olympics athletes during the press event to announce that Santiago, Chile will be the host site for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games.

As Gilmour Borg and his fellow nine new Sargent Shriver Global Messengers take part in a week of training in Washington D.C., we take the opportunity to get to know Gilmour a little better with a one-to-one interview.

This week, Margaret Turley and the nine other new Sargent Shriver Global Messengers (SSGMs) from the 2024 to 2027 cohort are embarking on an intensive week of training in Washington DC. Just before Margaret flew out, we took the opportunity to get to know her a little better with a one-to-one interview.

On 18 April 2024, Special Olympics International (SOI) joined the Brookings Institution Center for Universal Education (CUE) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in co-hosting the CUE Symposium on Education Systems Transformation for and through Inclusive Education.