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Community Impact

Youth Leaders Answer the Call to Connect

Youth Leaders around the world share stories from our first-ever VIRTUAL Global Youth Leadership Summit.
Youth Voices from the 2022 Virtual Global Youth Leadership Summit
Watch the video to hear Youth Leaders around the world share their stories following our first-ever VIRTUAL Global Youth Leadership Summit.

Watch the video to hear from Youth Leaders around the world who recently answered the "Call To Connect," joining over 1,500 of their peers at our first ever Virtual Global Youth Leadership Summit. On 20 and 21 May 2022, Youth Leaders with and without intellectual disabilities attended online sessions that aimed to educate, enable, and engage them as leaders for inclusion.

The opening ceremony featured Kiera Byland and Shrey Kadian - Special Olympics Global Athlete Leadership Council Members, Tim Shriver - Chairman of Special Olympics International, Caroline Frankum - Global Chief Executive Officer for Kantar, Rebecca Marmot – Chief Sustainability Officer for Unilever, and Effie Atieno – Special Olympics Youth Leader, along with Ray Lane – Special Olympics Board Member, who awarded Grace Payne from Special Olympics New Zealand with the first ever Lane Award for Global Inclusive Youth Leadership.

During one “Educate” session, Youth Leaders heard from Peace First about leadership and SMART goals. In another session, participants learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and how achieving these goals will create a better future.

"Each of you has the power to transform your school. To reduce bullying, to increase inclusion and acceptance."
Raphael Ogutu Nyabal, Special Olympics Kenya National Director

The “Enable” sessions featured organizations such as the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, Generation Human Rights, and The VII Foundation. Youth Leaders developed new skills to support project management, conflict resolution, and connection building.

Summit participants also learned how to “Engage” with Special Olympics in their local communities. During one session, Youth Leaders and educators shared ideas and guidance for attendees on how to start and expand Unified Schools.

Following the success of the 2022 Summit, Youth Leaders will have the opportunity to come together in 2023 in person for the Global Youth Leadership Summit in Berlin where they will be #CalledToActivate to further inclusion worldwide.

Thank You to Our Partners For Their Tremendous Support

Thanks to Lane Global Youth Leadership, Kantar, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF), Harmony Social & Emotional Learning, Samuel Family Foundation, Generation Human Rights, United Through Sports, Movers, Unilever, Peace First, and the VII Foundation for their support with the Summit.