Special Olympics Asia Pacific

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 #SpecialOlympics #HMmove #SpecialOlympicsBharat #ChoosetoInclude #GlobalCoalitionforInclusion #SNF

Here are just a few champions of inclusion, each with a unique story and experience, working towards a better world. Whether on or off the field, these athletes remind us during this Global Week of Inclusion that when we come together and celebrate our individual uniqueness, we can create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive! #SpecialOlympics #GlobalWeekofInclusion #ChooseToInclude #LeaveNoOneBehind #Inclusion #IntellectualDisability #InclusionRevolution #Empowerment

We loved seeing some of the world's best soccer players represent the #InclusionRevolution by wearing our Special Olympics #ChooseToInclude captain armbands! 🎉⚽ By working together, we can bring about positive change 💪💪💪 #ChooseToInclude #LeaveNoOneBehind #UnbeatableTogether 

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 Special Olympics athletes globally competing across 26 sports, showing the world that we are #UnbeatableTogether. Let’s continue to keep that spirit alive, championing inclusion in our daily lives! #SpecialOlympics #Berlin2023 #UnbeatableTogether #ChooseToInclude

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), Australia (Special Olympics Australia), Indonesia (Special Olympics Indonesia), Thailand, the Philippines (Special Olympics Pilipinas), Papua New Guinea (Special Olympics Papua New Guinea), Fiji, Maldives, Malaysia (Special Olympics Malaysia), Singapore (Special Olympics Singapore), New Zealand (Special Olympics New Zealand), 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, the UNDP, Visa, Medtronic, Bank of America, Hasbro, The 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.” #SpecialOlympics #ChooseToInclude #LeaveNoOneBehind #Inclusion #UnbeatableTogether #Change #InclusionRevolution #Empowerment

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! #Leadership #Influence #ChooseToInclude #UnifiedLeadershipAcademy #SpecialOlympics #Empowerment #LeadershipDevelopment Avery Dennison Aon Bank of America Skillsoft Lions Clubs International Catapult by CapitaLand Caroline Callow Roman Matla Canvass Life Pte Ltd Special Olympics

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 bikes, helmets, and spare parts that were needed for Special Olympics Bharat (India) and Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP), to compete in the 2023 World Games in Berlin. 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. Read the full story here! https://lnkd.in/gXeGfsUN #SpecialOlympics #ChooseToInclude #LeaveNoOneBehind #UnbeatableTogether #InclusionRevolution #Empowerment

To all amazing mothers out there, we thank you! <3

Inclusion in sports serves as a powerful metaphor for workplace diversity. The skillsets needed on the sporting field mirrors the spirit of teamwork and mutual support found in the workplace, where the collective goal is to achieve success through team work and collaboration. Special Olympics Asia Pacific would like to thank the Bank of America’s Disability Action Network (DAN) for the opportunity to speak at the "Beyond Difference" event in Singapore. During the session held both in-person as well as virtually across two Bank of America offices, our president and managing director, Dipak Natali, and athlete leader Hanako Sawayama from Singapore and Bank of America’s Chaitanya Nangia from Hong Kong delivered powerful messages to about 100 staff, highlighting the importance of inclusion in sports and beyond. Their message was clear: everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute and excel, regardless of ability. The event concluded with a message from Martin Sia, Country head and a fireside chat moderated by Bank of America’s Liam Quinn, Chief Operating Officer of International Operations, and Ankur Gupta, DAN Singapore Chapter Committee Head and Director of Asia Pacific Regional Sales and Global Transaction Services. #SpecialOlympics #ChooseToInclude #UnifiedLeadership

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 Foundation’s 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. Click on the link below to learn more on the collaboration: https://lnkd.in/gt32qEfc   Special Olympics East Asia Special Olympics #ChooseToInclude #YoungAthletes #UnbeatableTogether #InclusionRevolution  #UPS #SpecialOlympics