Middle East/North Africa

Shahd and Abdelrahman have been appointed to the Global Youth Leadership Council. This is a testament to their unwavering dedication to inclusion and their tireless efforts to foster a sense of community and belonging for all.

Mohammed bin Abul Aziz was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder four years ago, and today his condition is ever-evolving due to his father’s continual efforts to encourage him to go through regular health assessments and be a part of Special Olympics Oman.

“I am Saif Bin Sumaida, a retired senior engineer from ADNOC Gas. God blessed me with four sons and two daughters. We discovered that one of our sons, Ali, had autism at four years old and he struggled a lot with his speech growing up. We enrolled him in speech therapy sessions at the New England Center to help him work on this.

Ahmed El Farji has taken on the role of coach with Special Olympics Morocco tennis player Hajar Cherif Lamrani, guiding her with dedication and expertise.

Abdullah Al Nahas was born in December 2000, and he impacted many lives with his warmth and friendliness, leaving an extraordinary mark on all those around him.

In another demonstration of the ever-strengthening partnership between Special Olympics and the Badminton World Federation, a global technical training and regional competition was recently held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Rosemary Kennedy inspired Eunice Kennedy Shriver to found Special Olympics, and Special Olympics is excited to further honor her memory with the newly launched Rosemary Collaboratory.

Special Olympics Morocco participates in the Marrakech Marathon.

There was no shortage of amazing fans at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 and each day, fans and family members were able to join in the spirit of the Games helping to support and uplift all those competing.

“It feels wonderful!” That’s what Mostafa Abdelmaguid from Special Olympics Egypt had to say about participating in his first World Games.