Annual Report 2015
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Annual Report 2015 1 MESSAGE FROM AN ATHLETE LEADER OUR MISSION: ACCEPTANCE OUR MISSION AND INCLUSION OF ALL PEOPLE Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and Everyonestrugglesandhasdifficultywithsomething.Peoplewithintellectual IhavealsojoinedAthleteLeadershipandIlovetoattendalltheeventsofSpecial athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports disabilities struggle with our lives, but the biggest barrier in our lives is the social Olympicstosharemyjoyandfeelingswitheveryone.IfeellikeSpecialOlympicshas attitude. givenmeavoiceandIwanttocarryonthemissionofEuniceKennedyShriver,the for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving founder of Special Olympics. themcontinuingopportunitiestodevelopphysicalfitness, DisabilityisastigmainPakistan.InPakistanisociety,apersonwhoisbornwithan intellectual disability may be perceived as a punishment. The family may think they Ifyoucomeacrossanypersonwithintellectualdisability,donotfeelpity.Weare demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in have been punished for some misdeed. trying to foster acceptance and inclusion of all people. We need to move away from a culture of sympathy and pity. a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, Many of us are left out and even denied access to the most basic services, like health and education. Especially in villages of our country, most people with intellectual We should be able to live a life of respect and dignity. Just like anyone else. other Special Olympics athletes and the community. disabilities never get a chance at happiness, never get a chance to learn, never have the opportunity to play. Friendship, love and acceptance are missing from their lives. SpecialOlympicsPakistanacceptedmethewayIwas.Themostdifficultbarrierofmy Haseeb Abbasi lifewasmyvoice.Beingautistic,verballanguagewastough.Itwasdifficultformeto Pakistan speakupformyself.Myconfidencetospeakhasimprovedtremendouslysincedayone when my coach believed in me and provided me with an opportunity on the stage with a microphone to introduce myself with fellow athletes. The biggest reward of my life from Special Olympics is that they have given me a voice. SpecialOlympicsPakistanhasgivenmecourage,confidenceandthepowerto compete.Forthepastsixyears,Ihavebeenparticipatinginmanylocalandnational levelgames.Iwonmanymedalsandin2013,IparticipatedinRegionalgamesthatwere heldinAustralia.Igottwogoldmedalsinbocce. Mygoalsarebiggernow.Itookupcyclingandtrainfivedaysaweek,withthehelp oftrainedcyclingcoaches.WhenIstartedcycling,Icouldnotevencycleforhalfa kilometer. My cycling companions always encourage me by saying, “Keep on pedaling. Keeponpedaling.”Afteralotofhardworkandpracticing,nowIcancoveradistance of30kminonegowithatimeofonehour.Ienjoycyclingasitoffersamagical combination of independence, individual challenge and social contact. ON THE COVER: Otja Jarukako Muraranganda of Namibia, left, and Matthew Gang of the USA during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, Calif. 2 Special Olympics Annual Report 2015 3 MESSAGEFROMOURLEADERSHIP MESSAGE FROM OURLEADERSHIP BUILDING THE FUTURE WE IMAGINE July2015.LosAngelesMemorialColiseum,formerhomeoftheOlympicGames.Tens beenovercomeonceandforall.UnifiedSportswillbeourwayofacceleratingtheday of thousands of fans are in the stands. Television cameras capture legendary artists, when all children grow up unafraid. heads of state, giants of business, pioneers in health and medicine, global leaders of peace and justice. There are literally millions of people to thank for the millions of moments created. Our BoardofDirectorsledwithclarityandrelentlesseffort.Ourstaffinheadquartersand Then the attention shifts to the stars of the night: the athletes of Special Olympics around the world is surely the most dedicated workforce on Earth! Our sponsors and comingfrom165nations.Astheymarchin,athletesfromIndiaandPakistandance. donors gave generously. Millions of volunteers and coaches and health professionals AthletesfromIranandIsraeltakeselfies.Athleteswhohavetrainedformarathonsand gavetheirmostpreciousresource—themselves.Millionsoffamilymembersshowed open water swims raise their arms together with athletes who will compete in bocce theirtoughnessandtheirlove,comingtotheplayingfieldswithprideandresolve. and basic skill demonstrations. Somehow, the world is right on this one night. Itwasinmomentsofadversitythatourpeoplerevealedbestwhotheyare—in SuchwasthepromiseofSpecialOlympicsin2015—notjusttogivemillionsofpeople AfghanistanandNepal,wherenotevenearthquakescouldstopus;inSyria,wherenot the chance to play, to be healthy, and to belong, but to show the entire world a new eventhethreatofviolencecouldstopus;inIndia,whereneitherfloodsnorpoverty wayofbuildingthefuture—awayanimatedbyacelebrationofdifferences,grounded couldstopus;intheUSA,wherenotevenbulliescouldstopus.Inthousandsof in the power of sports, resolute in creating healthy bodies and minds, determined to communities where adversity came in the form of intolerance, inactivity and injustice, welcome everyone to the lessons of unity. The urgency of that force has never been our community responded with heart and strength and action. Such was the greater. Our work is far from done. We must build public understanding of our movement much promise of Special While leaders and nations clash, the athletes of Special Olympics compete with joy. morequickly;wemustimproveourcoachingandfitness;wemustimproveourdata Whilemillionsofchildrenstruggletofindasenseofbelonging,theathletesofSpecial andtechnologycapabilities;wemustempowerourleadersmoreeffectively;wemust Olympicsin2015— Olympicsteachthevalueofeveryperson’sgift.Whilefearofdifferencesdivide reachmorepeoplewhoarewaitingandoftensuffering.Intheend,theathletesof “ communitiesandcountries,theathletesofSpecialOlympicsplayunified. SpecialOlympicsprovidealltheinspirationneeded.Canwematchtheirhope,theirgrit, not just to give their ability to see a better future and strive towards it? Will we be urgent? Will we do In2015,thatmessagewasheardasneverbefore.ThankstoESPNandourmanymedia more in the years to come? millions of people partnersandfriends,thereweremorethan20BILLIONimpressionsthroughbroadcast, the chance to play, print, online and social media during the World Games alone -- a number that multiplies What will you do now? whenconsideringmorethan108,000local,provincial,stateandregionalSpecial to be healthy, and“ to Olympics games held elsewhere around the world last year. Sincerely, belong, but to show In2015,ourdreamofendinghealthdisparitiestookamajorleapforwardthanksto our most generous donor ever, Tom Golisano. We grew our community of health-care the entire world a pioneers with the vision that every Special Olympics athlete can thrive in a healthy community. new way of building Timothy Shriver Mary Davis Chairman ChiefExecutiveOfficer the future. Andin2015,weexpandedSpecialOlympicsUnifiedSports® to thousands of new schools under the leadership of young people ready to build a more inclusive future. Youngpeopleholdthekeytothefutureweimagine--wherefearofdifferencehas 4 Special Olympics Annual Report 2015 5 CHANGING THE WORLD – THROUGH SPORTS OUR IMPACT IN 2015 Athlete and Unified partner In2015,SpecialOlympicsathletesconfrontedchallengesandstigma–andtriumphed. All Special Olympics athletes can be high-performing athletes. To do so, they need growth reaches 5.3 million Unified Sports Every day, they shattered stereotypes and set new personal bests, showing the world toachievethehighestpossiblelevelsofhealthandfitness.That’swhytheneglected across 7 Regions expands to thestrengthsandtalentsofadultsandchildrenwithintellectualdisabilities(ID). healthofpeoplewithIDcontinuestobeafocus.Thisyear,thesuccessofourhealth 1.2 million teammates work has brought both excitement and exciting support. This year, we expanded our reach to more than 5.3 million athletes and Unified partners--anewglobalrecord!In2015,theseathleteswereabletochangeattitudes We received the largest single gift in Special Olympics history -- $25 million from on a scale never before seen. The 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles broke philanthropist Tom Golisano -- to expand Special Olympics’ health services globally for every Special Olympics record for global media coverage and social media engagement peoplewithID. - reaching millions of people worldwide and generating over 20 billion impressions through multiple media. Every day, we are working toward an inclusive world that celebrates people of all abilities.Andeveryday,atoppriorityisempoweringyoungpeople–withandwithoutID EUROPE-EURASIA ButSpecialOlympicscompetitionshappeneveryday–notjustoveranine-dayWorld --tocarrythismissionintothefuture.Inthewordsofoneschoolofficial:“Opportunities NORTH AMERICA Games.In2015,ourathletesinnearly170countriestookpartinmorethan108,000 through Special Olympics allow our students to become young leaders ‘who know the events and competitions during our busiest year ever. way, go the way, and show the way.’ ” This year, we showed the way by activating 3.6 million young people around the world. EAST ASIA Youth Andthisyear,ourmostrevolutionarysportsinitiative–UnifiedSports--metandthen activation exceededanambitiousgoal.In2010,wesetafive-yeartargetofdoublingthenumber We will continue to widen our impact and reach -- with your help. MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA ofathletestakingpartinUnifiedSports.Asof2015,SpecialOlympicshasmore than reaches doubled thenumberofUnifiedSportsteammates:wecannowcelebratemorethan 3.6 million AFRICA young people 1.2 million teammates –withandwithoutintellectualdisabilities–playingtogetherand