Middle East/North Africa
Cheers for Champions: Antoine (“Tony”) Magued Samir Saad, Special Olympics Egypt
“I’m a champion and a ninja!” Antoine (“Tony”) Magued Samir Saad, Special Olympics Egypt alpine skiing athlete, is ready to take on the snow-covered slopes at the Special Olympics World Winter Games!
Snow in the Desert: An Alpine Skier from Egypt Wins at the World Winter Games
Antwan “Tony” Saad developed a passion for skiing but has a very peculiar dilemma: his home country of Egypt only receives snow on the rarest of occasions (sometimes years apart).
1 Min Read
From Basketball Bonds to Floorball Finals: The Power of Friendship for Special Olympics Morocco
Special Olympics Morocco athlete Imane Bouissane and her teammates are participating in their first World Winter Games in floorball, a sport they’ve only learned in the past two years.
1 Min Read
Turin 2025: Must-See Moments, According to our Athletes
With the lighting of the ‘Flame of Hope’ at Turin’s Inalpi Arena on Saturday night, the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games were officially declared open, marking the start of the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event of the year.
1 Min Read
Pursuing Dreams with Tony & Team Egypt
From Giza to Turin, Antoine Magued Samir Saad is chasing his dream with unwavering determination! At 23 years old, Antoine—also known as Tony—has proven that passion and perseverance can break all barriers.
1 Min Read
Empowering Mentors: The First SOMENA Athlete Leaders Mentors Training in Abu Dhabi
From December 16 – 17, 2024, Abu Dhabi hosted the First Special Olympics Middle East / North Africa Athlete Leaders Mentors Training.
4 Min Read
Special Olympics MENA Athlete Leadership Congress 2024: Empowering Inclusion and Leadership
From November 27 – 30, 2024, the Special Olympics MENA Athlete Leadership Congress (RALC) made history in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as the first leadership-focused Special Olympics event hosted in the Kingdom.
6 Min Read
Faces of Inclusion: A Tale of Two Siblings
Mohamed's journey from facing societal barriers to becoming a champion is a testament to the support of his family and the opportunities provided by sport and Unified Champion Schools.
2 Min Read
Celebrating Inclusive Health Across the MENA Region
Leadership from Special Olympics International and the Golisano Foundation spent the week of November 4th in the MENA Region witnessing the impact of local health programs in action!
3 Min Read
Excellence in Action: Expanding Unified Champion Schools Across Middle East/North Africa
The Special Olympics MENA Unified Champion Schools (UCS) Hub event, titled Excellence in Action: Expanding UCS across the MENA region, was held from October 23 to October 26, 2024.
2 Min Read