In Mid-December, Aakanksha Institute of Learning and Empowerment, a facility run by Lions Club Raipur Sewa Samiti, organised the HOPE International Conference: Developmental Disabilities and Inclusive Strategies for Sustainable Developmental Goals. Dipak Natali President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Asia Pacific was invited to be part of the event as Keynote Speaker.

Dipak shared that the discrimination, social exclusion and stigma faced by person with intellectual disabilities prevents them from leading well-rounded lives. He urged for the participants from the wider society from healthcare specialists, educators, employers, legislators and policy makers to review their approach and beliefs  — to allow people with ID the right to fulfil their true potential — by giving them a platform to build their confidence, skills and ultimately speak for themselves to be included and valued in society.

At the recent Sports Industry Awards & Conference Asia, Senator Manny Pacquiao & Naomi Osaka were conferred Sportspersons of the Year. Special Olympics Asia Pacific was invited to share highlights of the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, with the celebrities, sportsmen, politicians and media present at the event.

Jericho Mercardo, Senior Director, Finance, Administration & HR also took the opportunity to convey our mission and philosophy: “Our focus is on opportunity to play sport and all of the valuable lessons and benefits that go with it. If that makes someone in to a fantastic athlete, then that is brilliant for us, but sport is more than that.”

FWD held a Young Athletes Play Day in celebration of the opening of their newest business hub in Binondo, Manila. Volunteers from FWD Life Philippines, and Special Olympics Philippines took time to interact and play games with young children with and without disabilities at the event and spread the Yuletide cheer by surprising the young athletes with Christmas gifts.

Special Olympics Philippines athlete Henry Munarriz with autism, is now the first person with intellectual disabilities (ID) employed by Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc (BAVI) in the Human Resource department at its headquarters in Pasig City. In pursuit of fostering a more inclusive workplace, BAVI President Ronald Mascariñas has signed an Memorandum of Understanding with Special Olumpics Philippines and has pledged to hire more persons with IDs and other people with disabilities this year to embrace them as part of its productive workforce. The organisation has also committed to conduct orientation sessions to equip its existing staff with the necessary perspectives on working with people with ID.

 

As HR administrative assistant, Henry will aid HR executives in performing clerical tasks and in facilitating events.

 

Special Olympics New Zealand recently ran a pilot for children with intellectual disabilities with these young athletes showing vast improvement confidence, coordination and improved motor skills. The evaluation report from the trial could help the program get support from Sport New Zealand which has committed to investing $7 million over the next four years to help address inequalities in play, recreation and sport opportunities for New Zealanders with disabilities.

Around 80 athletes took part in a sports meet funded by the CRT Grant in Draktsho Bhutan, in celebration of the International Day for Person's with Disabilities.

Congratulations to Chelseann Osborne from Special Olympics Mackay for winning the 2019 Queensland Sport Athlete with a Disability. She won a gold medal for sailing at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019.

Regional Leadership Conference, Singapore

 

International Male Unified Cricket Tournament, India

 

Train the Trainer - Level 3 Cricket, India

 

Train the Trainer - Level 3 Hockey ID, India