UAE Commit $25M to Special Olympics Global Expansion
July 24, 2020
This week, Special Olympics announced a global expansion of their Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) to six countries with a $25 million commitment from the United Arab Emirates, representing one of the largest initiatives for inclusion in education for young people with and without intellectual disabilities
Building on over a decade of success of UCS in the United States and growing impact in more than fifty other countries around the world, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, has committed $25 million in order to bring this initiative to Argentina, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Romania and Rwanda.
“[His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan] vision and generosity will empower young people around the world to break down barriers caused by injustice and intolerance, end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities, and establish inclusive cultures where every human being is respected, valued and welcomed,” said Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics (and Beyond Sport Ambassador).
The Special Olympics is then set to lead the growth of UCS in these countries, empowering young leaders to create lasting social change through inclusion in education for people with and without intellectual disabilities.
The UAE has also committed to bringing UCS programming to all the country’s public schools in the coming years. The UCS program supports the efforts of its students to create more accepting school environments through three interconnected components: Special Olympics Unified Sports®, inclusive youth leadership and whole-school engagement.
“The UAE and Special Olympics have a shared vision of a world without discrimination against people of determination. The advancement of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools initiative will root the values of tolerance and inclusion in educational systems around the world,” said Yousef Al Otaiba, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States.
Through the support of the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education, UCS programming can be found in 49 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, reaching over 285,000 students in more than 7,600 schools. Outside the US, the UCS program is growing around the world through support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and many other global and local partners.
Special Olympics, a client of our sister agency, thinkBeyond, is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities.