Photography provided by Oktem Kustu

Yunus Tughra: Celebrating International Children’s Day with Special Olympics

The Special Olympics athlete’s oath is “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” This oath was first introduced by Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the inaugural Special Olympics international games in Chicago in 1968.

Special Olympics Ontario is part of a larger movement that has improved the lives of millions of people, and along the way has grown into one of the world’s most powerful and effective social movements. Today, Special Olympics is more than an event. It is a lifetime experience encompassing year-round sports competitions that promote health, education and inclusion opportunities. Today’s Special Olympics is not just for “them”. It’s for all of us.

Sports are at the core of Special Olympics because they are universal. Sports are understood and celebrated by all people, regardless of race, nationality, gender, socioeconomic level, religion and— thanks in large part to Special Olympics—intellectual ability. Athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete according to the same rules and have the same motivations and goals. Also, they reap the same benefits.

By providing a platform for achievement and a large social network of teammates, coaches, family members and community groups, Special Olympics can make a measurable difference in the lives of athletes. In fact, at least 80 percent of families in Ontario say they have seen improvements in their athletes’ self-confidence, social skills and overall health thanks to participation in Special Olympics. Indeed, our programs promote healthy, active lives among a segment of the population who are more likely to face obesity and related health problems than are the general population.

Finally, Special Olympics sensitizes the world to the intellectually disabled by encouraging the use of proper terminology when referring to these individuals. We are leading a campaign to educate and raise the consciousness of the public to the discriminatory and harmful impact of the use of the “R-word.”

As Special Olympics moves into its fifth decade, we are gaining a new understanding of the importance of the movement. In the smiles, in the relationships formed, and in the examples set by the athletes, the world sees a new way of thinking, feeling and behaving. In the moments of the Special Olympics experience, the athlete is changed from a person of diminished value to a champion. And in these moments, everyone else is changed too. We are introduced to a more open, joyful, tolerant, accepting and ultimately peaceful world.

[icon size=”medium” name=”e-info”] Click here to view a news article about this event on the Toronto District School Board website.