Special Olympics Europe Eurasia has launched a European Union-supported illustrated children’s book series that brings to life the journeys of four athletes from across our region who competed in the World Winter Games Turin 2025. Designed for children aged 3-6 years old, the books celebrate inclusion through sports using colourful and accessible stories.
This unique international series features individual books for Eros Zanotti (Italy, cross-country skiing), Anca Miron (Romania, snowshoeing), Stephanie Gott (Great Britain, figure skating), and Marcel Schilling (Switzerland, snowboarding), supported by the EU through the Erasmus+ programme. Each 20-page book, available in both English and the featured athlete’s native language, follows the athlete’s early life, introduction to sport, preparation for Turin 2025, and the personal lessons learned from the Games. In addition to printed versions, perfect for schools, libraries, and family reading, digital versions are freely available on the specialolympics.org website.
Eros Zanotti emphasizes: “In the book, children see that Special Olympics is about more than medals, it’s about friendship, fun, and believing in yourself. That’s a message every child can understand.”
Anca Miron says: “Reading about my story as a child reminds me of how much support and friendship helped me grow. I hope young readers feel inspired to try new things and cheer for others too.”
Stephanie Gott explains: “It’s amazing to see my story shared in a way that children can relate to. I hope that children who read the book realise that even big dreams can start with small steps and that you are never alone when overcoming challenges.”
Marcel Schilling’s coach Armand, who features strongly in Marcel’s story, adds: “The book shows Marcel’s journey from a child who loved snowboarding to competing at Turin. We want children to know that trying your best and enjoying the journey is what matters most.”
“Through these books, Special Olympics aims to show children that inclusion strengthens communities,” says David Evangelista, Special Olympics International President & CEO. “We hope these stories inspire our youngest audiences with determination, empathy, and self-confidence. We also hope that it introduces them to the values of sport and teamwork. We are grateful to the European Union for supporting this initiative, which helps create opportunities for children across Europe to learn, grow, and celebrate diversity from an early age.”
In addition to the books, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia is also releasing the trailer for the documentary ‘Unified by Sports: The Special Olympics Journey.’ The documentary captures the athletes’ experiences in Turin 2025 in a long-form, emotionally engaging format, providing audiences of all ages a deeper perspective on the power of sports.
Together, the children’s books and documentary form part of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia’s broader ‘Unified by Sport’ campaign to raise awareness and celebrate the achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities across Europe and the world. It aims to reach families, schools, and communities, fostering understanding and inspiring future generations to embrace inclusion through sports.
The 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games took place in Turin, Italy, between 8 – 15 March, with over 1,500 athletes from around 100 nations competing across eight sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, dance sport, figure skating, floorball, short track speed skating and snowboard.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
