Global Unity Through Sports.. Special Olympics Events Foster Worldwide Inclusion

Abu Dhabi, 16/09/2024

The Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education (Global Center for Inclusion), with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, proudly announces significant expansion of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) program after pivotal events in Singapore and Argentina.

The UCS program cultivates inclusion and welcoming communities worldwide for people with and without intellectual disabilities, and the recent events in Singapore and Argentina are part of the Special Olympics, Inc.’s (SOI) Global Center for Inclusion in Education’s 2024 Regional Hubs of Excellence initiative.

The SOI Youth for Inclusion event in Singapore convened key stakeholders from the SOI Asia Pacific region, led by SOI Regional Athlete and Youth Council Members. The gathering focused on exchanging best practices and strategies for effectively integrating UCS programming into educational systems. Participants engaged in discussions about the critical role of young people in shaping inclusive education, building future generations, and exploring innovative ways to involve community stakeholders in fostering inclusion.

The SOI Excellence in Action event in Argentina brought together an enthusiastic group of youth leaders, educators, and SOI staff from across the Special Olympics Latin America region. Over the course of three days, participants engaged in collaborative sessions to adapt the tools needed to champion inclusion in their local schools. A key component of the event involved site visits to local UCS, where attendees witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of inclusive sports and youth leadership initiatives on school culture.

The Global Center for Inclusion defined eight essential criteria that each SOI Program must meet to attain Hubs of Excellence status: establish partnerships, reach numerous schools, develop implementation resources, secure media publications, gain educator support, facilitate youth leadership opportunities, and host knowledge sharing events.

Special Olympics Programs in six countries achieved the status and are hosting these Regional Hubs of Excellence events: Hubs of Excellence programs to achieve this status are Special Olympics Rwanda, Special Olympics Egypt, Special Olympics Romania, Special Olympics Pakistan, Special Olympics Bharat, & Special Olympics Argentina.

“The UAE is fostering an ecosystem where inclusion in education has been elevated on a global level,” said Dr. Jackie Jodl, Special Olympics Chief of Global Youth and Education. “We are leading by example, ensuring that our efforts reach every corner of the world. The progress we’ve witnessed through our Regional Hubs of Excellence is a testament to the power of collaboration and the UAE’s commitment to fostering a truly inclusive global community.”

Looking Ahead

Based on the success of the gatherings in Singapore and Argentina, the Global Center for Inclusion in Education is expanding three more Regional Hubs of Excellence in 2024:

• Kigali, Rwanda (24-26 September): Explore effective approaches to kickstarting UCS programs in East Africa, with a special emphasis on leveraging international support, underscored by participation from the UAE Embassy.
• Cairo, Egypt (23-25 October): Focus on expanding educational inclusion across North Africa, featuring the UAE Embassy and its commitment to regional development.
• Bucharest, Romania (29-31 October): The series will wrap up in Eastern Europe, where discussions will focus on strengthening educational and community bonds through UCS initiatives, with the supportive presence of the UAE Embassy.

These upcoming events are poised to further the mission of the Global Center for Inclusion to create a more inclusive world through education and sports, fostering respect and understanding across diverse communities.