The Vision

Our History

The idea behind Special Olympics began in the early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. She also saw that many children with special needs didn’t have a place to play and she took action.
Soon, her vision began to take shape, as she held a summer camp for young people with intellectual disabilities in her own backyard. The goal was to learn what these children could do in sports and other activities, and not dwell on what they could not do.

Building Communities

Our Philosophy

Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports, adapted as necessary to meet their needs.

We believe that consistent training in physical conditioning, good nutrition and wellness are essential for the physical and psychological development of these individuals. Through this program, families and the community at large are strengthened both through the participation and observation of the events; where they are united with other people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, mutual respect and acceptance.

Furthermore, through our programs, our Athletes develop better social skills, gain self-confidence and improve their communication skills and the effect is not only seen on the field. It helps the Athletes in many other ways and their families also benefit from it at home.

We not only provide quality training and competition but also build communities and spread a message of compassion and acceptance in a way that unites everybody. We have no boundaries to any gender, race, religion, economic, and educational level. We know the odds that our athletes and other people with intellectual disabilities face on a day-to-day basis and we help them overcome these barriers through sports and inclusion.

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Jane Doe