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The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games will take place in Athens, Greece
Athens 2011
Taking place between June 25th to July 4th, The thirteenth Special Olympics World Summer Games (ATHENS 2011), will draw 7,000 athletes from more than 180 countries around the world, 3,000 coaches and officials, 25.000 volunteers, 40,000 family members, thousands of spectators, as well as hundreds of journalists who will document the efforts and achievements of the athletes.
For Special Olympics athletes, the Games are about more than just an athletic competition. They are about overcoming barriers of all kinds… on the field, in the classroom, on the job and in the community.
Catalyst for Change
The World Games are also a catalyst for change within the countries that host them. World Games stimulate local economies and create momentum for citizen engagement by promoting grass-roots volunteerism – as seen in Ireland during the 2003 Special Olymics World Summer Games, when 30,000 people from across the nation volunteered to work at the Games in Dublin.
This catalyzing effect extends beyond communities to include governments as well. Ireland passed a new disability act after it hosted the 2003 Games. And leading up to the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China unveiled an unprecedented five-year government growth plan that included new educational, job and health care opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities across the nation.
Help make change happen in your community. Donate or volunteer, and help support athletes on their every day journey to the World Games.
Click here to visit the official site for the 2011 Special Olymics World Summer Games (Athens 2011).