Special Olympics

Special Olympics is a global sports movement that promotes inclusion and community for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in the early 1960s, the organization began as a summer day camp in Maryland and has since grown to become the world's largest sports organization for this community. The first International Special Olympics Games took place in Chicago in 1968, marking a pivotal moment in its history. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and competition in over 30 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The organization offers various programs, including Unified Sports, which pairs athletes with and without disabilities, and Young Athletes, aimed at developing motor skills in children aged 2 to 7. Special Olympics also integrates its initiatives into schools to foster acceptance and inclusion among students of all abilities. With a network of 4.4 million athletes across more than 170 countries, Special Olympics continues to inspire communities to embrace diversity through the power of sports.