IPNEd join Special Olympics to mark International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
To mark International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, the International Parliamentary Network for Education partnered with Special Olympics for a parliamentary exchange on the power of sport in unlocking the potential of every child and young person
The discussion was moderated by Hon. Mike Lake MP, Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions & Suicide Prevention in the Canadian Parliament and IPNEd Regional Representative for North America.
Mr Lake, whose son Jaden has autism, opened the meeting with a testimony to the transformative impact that an inclusive and quality education has had on Jaden’s life and those around him.
IPNEd member parliamentarians then heard from Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chair of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.
Special Olympics is a global movement dedicated to empowering the global population of individuals with intellectual disabilities through sport and related social services.
Dr. Shriver outlined how Special Olympics and IPNEd’s shared commitment to ensuring quality education for all, particularly for those who are most marginalized, is more urgent than ever.
Hon. Mike Lake MP in conversation with Dr. Timothy Shriver.
Engaging over six million athletes, Special Olympics is the largest grass-roots disability sports organization in the world.
Sammy Kamande, a Special Olympics Kenya Athlete, shared his journey to becoming a Special Olympics silver medalist.
Sammy told parliamentarians about the bullying and marginalization which he had previously faced at school and the transformative impact that the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) programme has had on his education and life.
UCS programming has been used by thousands of schools in over 140 countries to foster meaningful social inclusion between students with and without intellectual disabilities through sport and youth development. Through the generous support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), Special Olympics is able to expand the reach of the initiative in 22 nations across the world.
Parliamentarians heard directly from one of the teachers at a Unified Champion School. Eleni Doukas, General Manager of the Doukas School, shared how participating in Special Olympics programming enriches the lives of students with and without disabilities by building a school community of acceptance and inclusion.
Sammy Kamande
Eleni Doukas
IPNEd member parliamentarians and representatives from civil society from around the world, including Australia, Chad and the United Kingdom, also shared their reflections on the crucial actions that parliamentarians and policymakers can take to ensure inclusion is central to all children’s learning.
Dr Shriver concluded the exchange with a powerful clarion call encouraging all parliamentarians to speak to young people in their communities, reach out to their national Special Olympics programme, and ensure that resources are targeted to the most marginalized learners.
A renewed commitment to inclusion in education
The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated educational inequalities around the world, with a disproportionate impact on individuals with intellectual disabilities.
As the world navigates the pandemic, the global education community must ensure that a return to school results in a return to school for all - including children and youth with intellectual disabilities.
Inclusive education is the foundation of a quality education that enables every child and young person to learn. Now more than ever, governments must put inclusion front and center of its policies, and invest in the future of the most marginalized students.
To find out more about Special Olympics read their briefing on creating a more inclusive school climate amidst COVID-19.
