Special Olympics Asia Pacific

Don't be confined by limits – Andrew Robbins’ experience reminds us we can achieve our dreams when we put our minds to it. As the first Special Olympics athlete to win Special Olympics Australia their first gold medal in Bocce at the 2007 World Games, Andrew's dream to be at the World Games together with his wife was a long time in the making.

This was realized last summer when him and his wife Vicki played alongside and supported each other during the Berlin World Games. Like him, we hope that you too, can dream big, press on and inspire others along the way.

​Drop a comment and let us know what dreams you are working towards!
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Happy International Day of Friendship! Strangers can become teammates and friends, neighbors can become family, and differences instead of dividing us, can weave us closer together into a richer tapestry. Let’s cherish the friendships in our lives that uplift us. Let’s work together towards building communities where everyone can thrive.

Send this today to a friend you love and appreciate!

In an interview with MNATION, Humaira Kazim, who represents the Asia Pacific region on the Special Olympics Global Youth Leadership Council and is a .o.pakistan athlete said: “I think being determined and resilient is our biggest strength… It also makes me a good advocate for others who are special… I met a boy who had Intellectual Disabilities (ID) who was bullied in my neighborhood. Some of the neighbors were laughing at him.

I asked them, ‘Why are you bullying him? Don’t you know that you are hurting him and that he has feelings?’ They stopped after that. Today, I stand up not just for myself, but for others who are bullied.”

Read on for more of Humaira’s amazing journey and growth here https://mnation.uk/the-lessons-of-olympians-and-those-who-dare/

Embracing the spirit of global inclusion! We are thrilled to celebrate World Winter Games Turin 2025 – the pinnacle of inclusivity in sports. The future is here, and the time for inclusion is now. Let's unite, make a difference, and spread the joy of diversity. Join us in celebrating from March 8-🙌16!

Special Olympics is thrilled to showcase the Unified Football 7-a-side event in India, held in partnership with H&M Move India. This event brought together Special Olympics Bharat athletes and H&M Move India employees to emphasize the importance of physical activity for youth of all abilities.

Both teams shared perspectives on inclusion, opportunities for engagement, and the need for inclusive development through sports and physical activity for all.

This collaboration in the Asia Pacific region supports the Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion, a multilateral platform funded by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and is dedicated to expanding inclusive programs for individuals with and without intellectual disabilities in schools, sports clubs, and community centers worldwide.

In addition to the event, H&M Move is supporting SO Bharat across the next two years to create Unified Schools that focus on promoting social inclusion through shared sports and competition experiences, bolster engagement with students both with and without intellectual disabilities and facilitate government collaboration.

Special Olympics Europe Eurasia

Thank you for featuring the work that we do The Bhutanese ! We look forward to fostering a more inclusive environment through sports in Bhutan as well as across Asia Pacific!

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Special Olympics Asia Pacific visits Bhutan as Bhutanese athletes bring home medals - The Bhutanese The Special Olympics Asia Pacific office made a special visit to Bhutan last month, as a strategic m

Here’s a throwback to our amazing athletes from the Asia Pacific region at the Berlin World Games, one year on! 🎉🏅

Last June, a total of 330,000 spectators memorably celebrated 6,500 incredible athletes globally competing across 26 sports, showing the world that we are . Let’s continue to keep that spirit alive, championing inclusion in our daily lives!

Throwback to last week when over 40 youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities from 14 countries in Asia Pacific gathered in Singapore for “Youth for Inclusion: Expanding Unified Champion Schools”. This included India (Special Olympics Bharat), Pakistan (Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP), Australia (Special Olympics Australia), Indonesia (Special Olympics Indonesia), Thailand (Special Olympics Thailand), the Philippines (Special Olympics Pilipinas), Papua New Guinea ( Special Olympics Papua New Guinea), Fiji, Maldives (Special Olympics Maldives), Malaysia (Special Olympics Malaysia), New Zealand ( Special Olympics New Zealand), Singapore (Special Olympics Singapore), Vietnam and Bhutan.

Organized by Special Olympics Asia Pacific, with support from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, the event served as a platform for youth leaders, advocates, Special Olympics programs, as well as leaders in the private sector, to brainstorm strategies and pathways that level the playing field for people with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs) through inclusive education and community engagement.

The three-day event collectively gathered over 100 participants including speakers and guests from the UAE Embassy, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP, Visa, Medtronic, Bank of America, Hasbro Singapore, Volunteer Switchboard and SpedGrow

Dipak Natali, President and Managing Director of Special Olympics Asia Pacific, said “We hope the event sparks off inspiration to collectively work towards the ultimate goal of empowering youth of all abilities, by providing them with the skills needed to thrive and work towards a more inclusive future.”

Special Olympics Asia Pacific Unified Leadership Academy - Leader II just concluded in Singapore. Over the past few days, a dynamic group of leaders from 12 Programs across the Asia Pacific Region reunited for their second consecutive year of Leadership Academy workshop to delve into the crucial topics of leading and influencing others.

The interactive workshops, insightful discussions, and hands-on application activities equipped our Special Olympics leaders with the skills and confidence to be even stronger, more impactful drivers of positive change in their communities. The diverse participant pool comprised of Program staff, youth and athlete leaders with and without intellectual disabilities, learned from senior experts on the topics of effective communication, influencing others, mindfulness, mindset and others. We are excited to learn about the impact of these new insights on Special Olympics programming in the Region.

A huge thank you to Academy partners, sponsors and supporters whose invaluable contributions were critical to the success of this enriching event. The collaboration and shared passion among the participants and contributors were truly motivating. Here's to leading with purpose and influencing with impact!

Efforts to bridge resource gaps like these are what make it possible to build a more inclusive world, break down barriers and realize the potential that lies in each of us!

Full story as here: https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/athletes/bikes-across-borders

There are about 54 million people with intellectual disabilities in the Asia Pacific region. Some challenges faced by many of our athletes include the lack of access to rudimentary sports and play equipment. This limits their opportunities for participation in sports and personal development. ​

This was certainly the case for Tracy Lea, a longstanding Special Olympics volunteer who was struck by the fact that some athletes she met were competing with damaged bicycles or lacked proper gear at competitions. Her determination to do more for the athletes spurred her on to successfully source for a donor and overcome multiple logistical cross-border challenges to source for eight bikes, eight helmets, and spare parts that were needed for Special Olympics Bharat (India) and Special Olympics Pakistan, to compete in the World Games Berlin 2023. ​

Donations and efforts to bridge resource gaps like these are what make it possible to build a more inclusive world, where everyone has the opportunity to showcase their talents and share their joy with the world.​

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Members of the Global Athlete Leadership Council (GALC) and Sargent Shriver Global Messengers (SSGM) from around the world came together for a week of learning and fellowship at the headquarters in Washington, DC.

At a separate event hosted by our global partner , our Asia Pacific representative, shared in her speech, 'Sharing our stories makes it much easier for us to connect and break down barriers in how people see us - as people, not just people with intellectual disabilities.' Follow us and join Grace in the movement to ignite change and create a better, more inclusive future.

repost : Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and mom figures around the world of the athletes, coaches, volunteers, staff, and supporters of the Special Olympics movement! We recognize and thank you for all your hard work.

We share the story of Neena Garg the mother of Muskan, an athlete from Special Olympics India. Neena faced isolation when family and community members turned their backs on her for loving and supporting Muskan. She fought to find a way for them to build community and confidence. Their efforts led Muskan all the way to Berlin where she competed as a powerlifter at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games. Link to video in our bio

In a world where the need for inclusion is increasingly urgent, The UPS Foundation has pledged US$92K to support Special Olympics Young Athletes programming, an early childhood play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), ages 2 to 7 years old across Asia. In addition, the amount will also go towards other Special Olympics sports programming in the region.

The grant supports the redevelopment of Special Olympics programming in 2024 in Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Chinese Taipei. The UPS grant will be instrumental in rebuilding programs devastated by the pandemic and will reach about 700 children, 300 parents and siblings, and recruit 180 coaches.

Special Olympics is grateful for UPS's generous sponsorship, in bringing the Young Athletes program to more families who have young children with intellectual disabilities across Asia. Inclusive play has an essential role in helping communities with limited exposure to people with intellectual disabilities, better understand and accept others. This is absolutely vital in cultivating and progressing a more inclusive world for future generations, says Dipak Natali, Regional President and Managing Director of Special Olympics Asia Pacific.

In a recent podcast with Tigerhall, Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis affirmed that equity is key to true inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs), who are often overlooked in the communities where we live, work, and play.

In this podcast, the Chair of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Board delved into the unique skills and talents of neurodiverse individuals and shed light on the transformative power PWIDs can wield in shaping inclusive workplaces.

To listen to her full interview, visit https://tigerhall.com/content/podcasts/the-essentials-of-neurodiversity-inclusion

Still running on adrenaline from the recently concluded South Asia Unified Football Competition! 🥳🙌

SO Bangladesh Unified Football Male Team B & Unified Football Female A Team were CHAMMPIONS in SO South Asia 7-a-side Unified Football Tournament 2024.
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
SO BANGLADESH UNIFIED FOOTBALL TEAMS....

Quick throwback to celebrate all our amazing youth leaders! 💪💪💪

The first-ever South Asia Unified Cup has concluded in Bangladesh, and it was a spectacular display of sportsmanship and unity with five countries and over 90 participants taking part.

This marks our return to play for South Asia as a region, following the devastation of COVID-19.

Special Olympics Bangladesh is charging ahead and setting the stage by hosting the first of many competitions lined up over the next 10 years.

These vital competitions bring people with and without intellectual disabilities together to play sports and the event was a powerful testament to how sports can bridge differences, demonstrati genuine inclusion, mutual respect, and dignity, both on and off the playing field.

At the same time, health screenings were provided for all athletes, which covered multiple disciplines: eye health, dentistry, preventative health, and nutrition.

Beyond the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, the Unified Cup was a timely reminder that sports can proactively drive unity, acceptance, and love.

Special Olympics Asia Pacific partners with professional fundraising agencies like SG Labuan Limited, SalesWorks, and LadderPro to engage with existing and potential donors.

For face-to-face fundraising, you can verify the fundraisers’ legitimacy by referencing our website, ensuring ambassadors are wearing a purple and orange vest and a red lanyard carrying the Special Olympics Asia Pacific logo. You can also ask to see their ID badge and/or the disclosure letter issued by the Ministry of Culture, Community & youth (MCCY).

For telemarketing you can confirm that the caller ID corresponds with the valid IDs found on our website. For urgent matters or further verification please call 68714920 or e-mail us at [email protected]

We rely on Face-to-Face fundraising and telemarketing to fund our essential programs, including year-round sports training, athletic competitions, and health and leadership development for individuals with intellectual disabilities across 35 countries in the Asia Pacific region, such as India, Singapore, Australia, the Pacific Islands among others.

The aftermath of the pandemic significantly impacted our operations, leading to a sharp 84% drop in Athlete Engagement in our region. Your support is crucial to help us restart, rebuild, and reclaim our reach!

Special Olympics recently unveiled the new Rosemary Collaboratory, a global health systems level assessment and advocacy project, aimed at promoting health systems that are more accessible, affordable, and able to provide appropriate, high-quality care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

As part of the Collaboratory, local experts from Asia Pacific’s India and Pakistan, as well as Chinese Taipei, Ireland, Nigeria, Paraguay, South Africa and three US states (Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin), will gather data on IDD inclusion in health systems to contribute towards a stronger understanding of those marginalized, and strengthen responses to improve health equity for this underserved population.

This is crucial because as the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities highlighted, people with IDD are six times more likely to die from preventable health conditions than the general population.

With the support of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Special Olympics will release a global report on the health of persons with IDD in 2025 that will reinforce good practices and share policy recommendations in driving social justice, making sure that people with IDD are not left out or left behind.

Learn more about the Rosemary Collaboratory and how for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is key in driving forward in the link below.

https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/news/special-olympics-announces-new-rosemary-collaboratory-initiative-to-help-strengthen-health-systems-to-include-those-with-intellectual-and-developmental-disabilities