Sargent Shriver Global Messengers 2024 – 2027

A weeklong series of site visits across Ireland highlighted innovative partnerships, athlete led initiatives, and institutional leadership advancing inclusive health for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

[Paris, France - 19 February 2026] On 19 February, more than 200 Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities), and media convened at the City Hall in Paris, France for a landmark moment: the official unveiling of the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams selected to compete in the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026.

Dylan Sendgraff isn’t just a coach or a mentor; he’s a driving force behind inclusion at Special Olympics Nebraska.

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.

When Fabricio first walked through the doors of an English institute in Mendoza, Argentina, he was searching for one thing: a way to improve his language skills.

For the first time ever, Special Olympics athletes are featured on a Formula 1 racecar, part of the Visibility Drives Change initiative powered by TeamViewer, an official partner of Formula 1.

Special Olympics spent last week working on the progression of research and evaluation for people with disabilities as it penned a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity.

I had the honour and privilege of experiencing my first Special Olympics World Winter Games as a Sargent Shriver Global Messenger (SSGM) during the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, March 8-15. These Games were truly the best experience ever and one that I will cherish forever.

The following is an excerpt from The Healthy by Reader’s Digest article, “Special Olympics Advocates: Don’t Leave This Community Out of Mental Health Discussions” on what effective mental health care looks like for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and why inclusion needs to be part of the solution.

Magic happened in Turin when the Sargent Shriver Global Messengers (SSGMs) connected with a group of talented college students to capture photos and spark a passion for storytelling.