Dr. Timothy Shriver

[WASHINGTON DC, USA - 22 January 2026] Special Olympics has issued a powerful global call to action, warning that the world is facing a critical shortage of teachers that threatens the future of millions of students, most critically, learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

A global call to action urging governments and systems to invest in teachers as the foundation of inclusive, equitable education for all learners.

New CEO David Evangelista, Board Chair Timothy Shriver, Chief of Sport and Competition Louis Lauria, Regional President & Managing Director, Latin America Claudia Echeverry, and Special Olympics Board Member and Athlete Leader, Kiera Byland BEM featured in expansive series of articles.

David Evangelista, incoming CEO of Special Olympics International, is the latest guest on the Special Chronicles Podcast, produced and hosted by Special Olympics Illinois athlete Daniel Smrokowski.

[Abu Dhabi, UAE – September 25, 2025] The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity has announced an US$11 million grant to the Abu Dhabi-based Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education to significantly expand its Unified Champion Schools (UCS) initiative, a transformative program that advances social inclusion for youth with and without intellectual disabilities.

The President of the European Fair Play Movement and the Italian National Fair Play Committee and Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles awarded Special Olympics the Fair Play Award for Peace 2025.

[Washington, D.C. – 14 July 2025] The international Board of Directors of Special Olympics is pleased to announce the appointment of David Evangelista as the global movement’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective1 January 1 2026.

The following is an excerpt from The Washington Post article, “This house started the Special Olympics. It’s finally being recognized”, that explores the legacy of Timberlawn, the Maryland home where Eunice Kennedy Shriver launched Camp Shriver in 1962—planting the seeds for what would become Special Olympics.

An excerpt from the NBC News article detailing a recent return of the R-word in the language lexicon.

Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver was interviewed LIVE by MSNBC host José Díaz-Balart on Wednesday, 23 April following the Pontiff’s passing on Easter Monday.