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Special Olympics Papua New Guinea

The mission of Special Olympics Germany is "to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with an intellectual disability, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community."

Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.

Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering.

Herith Suleiman deeply understands the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Why? Because Herith himself has intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics Pilipinas (SOP) is dedicated to empowering athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the Philippines. Our vision is to cultivate inclusive spaces in schools and community sports clubs nationwide. These are environments where every athlete, regardless of ability, can experience the transformative joy of sport and the power of lifelong friendship.

Currently, we are proud to support a growing community of 1,000 athletes, supported by a network of 15 grassroots sports clubs, 32 Unified Champion Schools and 15 UCS Banner Schools. To ensure this impact is both efficient and sustainable, we work in close partnership with the Philippine government. Through strategic collaborations with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and various Local Government Units (LGUs), we are integrating inclusive sports into the national fabric. This allows us to establish accessible, weekly training sessions in school and community sports clubs across the country, providing our athletes with a consistent and reliable space to grow, compete, and belong.

Our holistic approach combines athletic training with vital health services. By linking our year-round sports programs with the Healthy Athletes® program, we provide our community with essential access to specialized healthcare. By reaching as many athletes as possible across the archipelago, we ensure that health and sport go hand in hand for every participant.

As we continue to grow, we look forward to reaching even more athletes nationwide, as every individual deserves access to the inclusive spaces that Special Olympics Pilipinas offers. By integrating our sports clubs with Unified partners and volunteers, we are slowly but surely fostering a culture of belonging by breaking down barriers and dismantling stigmas against people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PIDDs) across the country. At Special Olympics Pilipinas, we aren't just playing a game; we are building a future where everyone is welcome.

Participants at the recent ESPN-sponsored Unified Football Tournament in Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced not only the joy of football, but also moments of inclusion, connection and generosity.

Special Olympics Europe Eurasia has today—on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities—announced that the first ever European Unified Youth Basketball Tournament will take place in Sansepolcro, Italy in October 2021.

The story details how Kayte leveraged her own challenges accessing mental health care to help develop Special Olympics Strong Minds, the mental discipline of Special Olympics Health Athletes®.

Special Olympics is excited to announce the opening of the 2025 Sport Rules Process.