From a viral influencer video and a podcast special by Special Olympics Estonia to a panel on the role of families in sport, as part of a sustainable sports development conference hosted by Special Olympics Bulgaria, the inaugural European Week of Families has been making a splash online and offline!
Activations Across Europe Eurasia
That’s not to mention the Global Coalition Schools activation at Primary School Brčanska Malta, which today will engage around 900 children and parents, promoting inclusive education in cooperation with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, across 50 schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, a series of Family Health Forums have been hosted across the region, including in by Special Olympics Hellas, Special Olympics Estonia and Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina. The team in Special Olympics Romania has also been busy with a range of activities, including a dedicated workshop to support the mothers of Special Olympics to look after their own mental and physical health and the launch of athlete, Anca Miron’s very own children’s book.
The week culminates today as we join the wider global community in celebrating the UN International Day of Families. To celebrate the day, Special Olympics is launching a special video that powerfully conveys the integral role that families play in the lives of our athletes and our movement as a whole.
“Celebrating Families Like Mine!”
Special Olympics Sargent Shriver Global Messenger (SSGM), Margaret Turley, commented on the role that her family has played in her personal development, as well as her sports and professional career. She said, “I am delighted to see the launch of a dedicated week to celebrate families like mine across Special Olympics. My brother and sister are my role models, when I was younger they were going to college and were learning to drive a car. They pushed me and encouraged me to follow in their footsteps. I did not want to be left behind. I was going to achieve things in my life like they achieved in theirs. So, I worked hard to go and study in Trinity College in Dublin and I learnt how to drive a car and passed my driving test! I have not look back. Now I am still achieving both in my work and in Special Olympics. My siblings were so proud of when I was chosen in the SSGM role!”
“Families Form the Backbone of Our Movement”
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President and Managing Director, Sven Albrecht, said, “Families form the backbone of our movement. They encourage, support, nurture and celebrate our athletes at every step of their journey – on and off the sports field. With almost 40,000 family members and almost 6,000 family leaders registered across our region, the appetite from families to play a central role in Special Olympics is clear. Through workshops, Family Health Forums, and a range of other online and offline community initiatives, the inaugural Special Olympics European Week of Families, aims to not only celebrate families, but also raise awareness of the challenges that they face and the urgent need for support. A special thanks to our partners, Lions Clubs International Foundation and the Samuel Family Foundation, for your generous support of this pioneering initiative.”
There are over 663,000 family members registered with Special Olympics across the world, including 40,000 across Europe Eurasia. Globally, we have a total of almost 40,000 trained family leaders, almost 6,000 of whom are located in our region. European Families Week aims to celebrate all families, while raising awareness about the challenges that they face.
