Opening Paths, an innovation project led by youth leaders Marisin and Sofia from Special Olympics Panama, brought students and community members together for an awareness event focused on the importance of inclusion. Through teamwork and shared activities, participants had the opportunity to celebrate the unique abilities and contributions of everyone involved.

The project aimed to raise awareness among young people and encourage them to become volunteers and Unified partners with Special Olympics Panama.
The project was inspired by the joy of Special Olympics athletes and the local Special Olympics Program, which showed Marisin and Sofia just how much young people with and without intellectual disabilities can accomplish when given the opportunity.
The youth leaders chose to host their project at their school, which was already supporting a fundraising campaign to help students participate in international competitions. They also partnered with the school's athletic department to design and organize a ropes workshop.

The day began with an awareness talk, where Marisin and Sofia introduced the mission of Special Olympics and explained the activities planned for the event. Participants then learned about Unified Sports and formed small teams to create posters promoting inclusion. They put their teamwork into practice during the ropes workshop before bringing everyone together for a Unified futsal game to close out the day.
The project engaged 23 youth with intellectual disabilities and 32 youth without intellectual disabilities. Through the activities, students gained a deeper understanding of the Special Olympics mission and were inspired by the abilities and achievements of Special Olympics athletes
Throughout the project, Marisin and Sofia overcame their fear of public speaking and the nervousness that came with leading such a meaningful initiative. Seeing young people embrace the message of inclusion and work together showed them the impact their message could have.
The experience strengthened their commitment to promoting inclusion and encouraged them to continue being voices for their peers wherever they go.