Special Olympics

🎶 Quincy Jones wasn’t just a music industry legend; he was a true leader in spreading the message of inclusion! 🎶 His dedication to the "A Very Special Christmas" albums is unmatched, helping bring people together through the power of music. Thanks to his support, incredible artists like Luther Vandross shared unforgettable tracks like "The Christmas Song" —all to champion a world where we #ChooseToInclude. Let’s celebrate his legacy this holiday season and continue his commitment to unity! 🌍💖 #SpecialOlympics

The WTA Foundation held a tennis clinic with Special Olympics Hong Kong on 28 October, where 12 Special Olympics Hong Kong athletes honed their skills alongside 2-time Grand Slam Champion and Special Olympics Global Ambassador, Li Na. Li was joined by former WTA pros Vania King, two-time Grand Slam champion and WTA Foundation representative; Ling Zhang, former Hong Kong No.1; and Yan Zi, a two-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic bronze medalist. WTA Alumni and the 12 athletes spent the morning on the courts learning from one another, advancing their tennis skills, and helping to create a more inclusive space for sport. Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wOjvE

As a post-Halloween treat, we’re premiering a special edition of Inclusion Revolution Radio and Spotlight Sessions from #SpecialOlympics and accessiBe. This episode, brought to you by Toyota Motor Corporation, features David Duncan, Special Olympics Jamaica athlete and Global Athlete Leadership Council member, who shares his personal experience advocating for those with disabilities in the workplace. To watch the full episode: https://brnw.ch/21wOjrg

🌍✨ 🌍✨ The Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion, with the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), hosted an impactful workshop in Bucharest at the the International Conference "Excellence in Action". This gathering brought together representatives from over ten countries across Europe Eurasia, including existing members of the Global Coalition, all working toward creating a more inclusive world. Representatives from Coalition countries shared their experiences and the ways they collaborated with government agencies and international organizations. These discussions provided valuable guidance for other nations interested in joining the Coalition, with strategies for advocacy, public policy, and resource mobilization. The conversations emphasized practical steps for applying inclusive practices at local and national levels, addressing both challenges and successes. Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, led by President David Evangelista, alongside Special Olympics International, helped facilitate the exchange of ideas and encouraged sharing strategies to support inclusive goals worldwide. 📸: Inquam Photos / George Calin #ChooseToInclude #SpecialOlympics

Our athletes' vision for the future, Special Olympics World Winter Games 2024, partner and media engagement - these topics and so many more were explored with energy, passion and focus by Special Olympics teams from across the region at our recent Leadership Conference in Berlin. Discover the highlights from this fruitful, energising and - most importantly - joyful conference in this newly launched video. Huge thanks to Ian Harper and Radha Balani for seamlessly and dynamically leading us through the agenda as a powerhouse MC duo, to Special Olympics Deutschland for hosting us and to Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior, Sports Metropolis Berlin, Toyota Motor Europe and Lions Clubs International Foundation for supporting this milestone event for our region. #SpecialOlympics #SOEELeadership24 David Evangelista Sven Albrecht Margaret Turley Kiera Byland BEM

Excitement builds as Italy’s Minister for Disabilities, Sport and Youth, and Tourism joined the Special Olympics World Games #Turin2025 planning team at Toyota Motor Italia. Following the recent #G7 in Assisi and the historic Ministers' Meeting on Inclusion and Disability, these leaders are championing a future where everyone belongs. Get ready for #Turin2025 and keep the #InclusionRevolution going! #SpecialOlympics #WinterGames #TheFutureIsHere

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is coming to an end, but the conversation around workplace accessibility is still going strong! Tune in to this week's episode of Inclusion Revolution Radio, brought to you by Toyota North America. Hosts Josh Basile, from accessiBe, and Novie Craven of Special Olympics International are joined by David Duncan, Special Olympics Jamaica athlete and Global Athlete Leadership Council member, who is driving the topic of inclusivity at work forward!

It was a privilege for our team to join a gathering of Lions and Leos from across Europe at the recent Lions Europa Forum 2024 Bordeaux. Among the many exciting activities on offer was an energising Unified flag rugby demonstration by Special Olympics France - the perfect way to show the power of the Special Olympics and Lions Clubs International partnership in action! Thank you Lions Clubs International Foundation for your amazing support for the athletes of our movement, across Europe and worldwide!   #SpecialOlympics #MissionInclusion David Evangelista Gonzalo Ramos Solanes Will Byrne Phil Nathan MBE Chartered FCSI FIoD Paula Gundín González

We are excited to announce that Special Olympics will be joining #soccerexmiami as an Institutional Partner, this November 13-14! ⚽ 🌴 The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Football is Special Olympics’ most participated team sport. With more than 7,000 football specific events held annually, participated in by over 450,000 players, and present in over 210 programs ⚽ 🌴 Join us at #soccerexmiami: https://lnkd.in/dRkiuyUD 🌴 Rights holder and press self-registration: https://lnkd.in/dGMbFFNV

I’m still in awe of what happened last week! It was an incredible honor to lead the U.S. Delegation for the first-ever #G7 Ministerial on Inclusion & Disability in Italy! A sincere thank you to Minister Alessandra Locatelli & her team. Including an entire ministerial level political track on Inclusion & Disability set the tone for what's possible in multilateral fora.   We had an incredible delegation for this ministerial: Asst. Secretary Taryn Williams, Department of Labor, Mary Davis, CEO, Special Olympics, Dr. Michael Stein from Harvard Law, & Virginia Atkinson, Senior Global Advisor, IFES.   I was thrilled to have bilat meetings with our G7 partners & outreach countries to discuss ways we could move this work beyond the ministerial. We discussed disability, peace, & security, bridging between domestic and international work on disability, future global foras, & more. As I said in my remarks, we cannot achieve a secure, prosperous & peaceful future until we include the disability community.   After the G7 Ministerial meeting, Minister Locatelli arranged a private meeting with the Pope, where we had the rare opportunity to hear directly about the Vatican’s position on persons with disabilities.   Here's our homework: 1. Ensure there's a standalone disability ministerial in both G7 and G20, and that disability and accessibility are integrated holistically into all work streams. 2. Elevate the voice of disability so society can the value that persons with disabilities have and the cost on society that is incurred when we're excluded. 3. Ensure that people who don't work on disability rights be included in these sessions so they can see how they play a part in advancing this work. It’s not just on the disability community to raise the importance of advancing disability inclusion. It’s on all of us. #G7Italy #NothingWithoutUs   Photo credits to Vatican Media, the Government of Italy, and Meaghan Clohessy.   1: Taking a short moment with Pope Francis along with my dear friend & partner-in-crime Hanah Nasri. 2: The amazing people who were part of the U.S. delegation to the G7 Ministerial outside the Solfagnano Castle. 3: My amazing team in between G7 bilats. 4: Standing next to my good friend & G7 partner Alessandra Locatelli, Minister of Disabilities for the Gvt. of Italy. Her hard work and dedication made the G7 Ministerial possible. 5: The heads of delegation gather for the first panel, where experts from each of the G7 partners discussed including persons with disabilities across political, civic, & economic life.  6: The heads of delegation from the G7 countries & outreach countries gather for the conclusion of the Welcome Ceremony, gearing up for three days of productive conversations & journey mapping.