Stories
These global stories are about the power of Special Olympics to inspire hope, confidence and courage. Special Olympics changes the lives of our athletes with intellectual disabilities but also our coaches, families, volunteers and others who have the opportunity to take part.
Special Olympics and UN Refugee Agency Stand Unified With Refugees of All Abilities
Special Olympics and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today signed a global Memorandum of Understanding to formalize a growing partnership benefiting refugees of all abilities.
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Young Athletes in Turkey Stay Active in Lockdown!
It has been a year of profound challenges driven by restrictions, loss and uncertainty. The athletes of Special Olympics—many of whom were already severely marginalised by society—saw their daily lives made even more difficult with drastically reduced access to activities and education due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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iCoachKids 4th Annual International Conference
Today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders, teachers, coaches and parents. In recent years, particularly in the sports world, we have become increasingly aware of the responsibility we have to our children to provide them with a solid foundation for a healthy life.
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Ambassadors, Volunteers, Partners: It’s Full Steam Ahead for Kazan 2022!
It has been a busy and exciting end to the year for the Special Olympics World Winter Games Kazan 2022 team. In the past month alone, we have announced a team of exciting new Games Ambassadors, including ice hockey legend Alexander Ovechkin, welcomed Coca-Cola on board as an official partner of the Games and opened the applications for Games volunteers!
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Author Justine Green Donates 1,000 Books Towards Young Athletes Initiative YA backpacks allow for at-home experience
YA backpacks allow for at-home experience.
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Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing at St. John Fisher College Launches Fellowship to Advance Inclusion in Nursing
The Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing at St. John Fisher College will launch a new fellowship program to develop nursing thought leaders who support and promote the health and wellbeing of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
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Proving People Wrong
My name is Novie. I’m an athlete, leader, and employee with a disability. I represented Special Olympics D.C. in Seattle, Washington, at the 2018 USA Games, and I work at Special Olympics International.
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WTA Players Highlight “Sports Talks” with Special Olympics Maryland
Special Olympics Maryland has been looking for ways to engage athletes virtually since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In March, they started monthly “Sports Talks” highlighting a different sport each time as part of their virtual movement.
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NFL Players Sport Special Olympics Shoes for My Cause, My Cleats 2020
The NFL celebrated its fifth annual My Cause, My Cleats campaign during Week 13 of the NFL season as a part of its commitment to support causes important to players. My Cause, My Cleats is a collaboration between the NFL and players that raises awareness and money for hundreds of charitable organizations of each player's choosing.
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Hasbro to Support 5 Virtual Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® National Banner Celebrations
At Special Olympics, it is our mission to celebrate inclusion at all times—no matter the setting. This belief has been even stronger in the past year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing need for virtual connections.
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Click the video to see highlights from Tamira’s talk with Special Olympics Maryland athletes.
During the Special Olympics Maryland “Sports Talks” series, athletes had the opportunity to ask pro-tennis player Tamira Paszek some questions about her approach to playing and competing in Tennis. Tamira, who is from Austria, holds several tennis titles including three Women's Tennis Association championships.
Timothy Shriver Says Inclusion in Schools is Key to Ending Exclusion
Special Olympics Board Chair Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. discusses the important role education plays in addressing society’s dire need for social inclusion.
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