European Leadership Conference Maps out Future for SOEE
Leadership from 58 Special Olympics National Programs across the Region Meet in Casablanca this Weekend
Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia will bring together leadership from 58 national programmes in Casablanca, Morocco this weekend to map out the future of the movement in Europe and Central Asia. The Special Olympics European Leadership Conference will provide a forum for a serious dialogue on how Special Olympics can reach and transform the lives of more adults and children with intellectual disabilities in the region.
Taking place over two days the conference is scheduled ahead of the 2010 Special Olympics Global Congress convening in Marrakesh, Morocco from June 6 – 10 and bringing together the entire global Special Olympics community.
Over the past 10 years, Special Olympics has grown rapidly, having tripled the number of participating athletes to nearly 3.5 million and now having Programs established in more than 170 nations worldwide. In Europe/Eurasia, Special Olympics operates in 58 countries serving more than 500,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities.
“There are 26.5 million people with an intellectual disability in Europe and Central Asia so there is huge potential for Special Olympics to empower a neglected population while changing attitudes and promoting more respect and inclusion through sport” says Mary Davis, Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia. “The SO European Leadership Conference and the Global Congress provides us with an excellent opportunity for sharing stories, inspiring ideas and igniting a spirit in the movement that will spur its future growth”.
Through plenary sessions and breakout discussions, the focus of the Special Olympics European Leadership Conference is to provide National Programmes with solutions on how to become better known, better funded and more successful in both expanding and improving sports opportunities and other initiatives for people with intellectual disabilities in their country. Ensuring a lasting legacy to the upcoming 2010 Special Olympics European Games in Warsaw, Poland will also be a main topic of discussion for the Conference.
The 2010 Global Congress is being supported under the Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco and is being made possible through the vision and leadership of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Amina, who also serves on Special Olympics’ International’s Board of Directors.
Expected guest speakers to include: Timothy P. Shriver, Chairman & CEO. Special Olympics; J. Brady Lum, President and COO, Special Olympics; Muhtar Kent, Chairman & CEO of The Coca-Cola Company; Peter Arnell, Chairman of the Arnell Group; Her Excellency Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt; Bobby Shriver, Co-founder of (Product)RED; Maria Shriver, First Lady of California; Clarence Seedorf, global football champion; Monica Seles, tennis legend; Angelo Moratti, Chairman. Special Olympics Italy; Joanna Despotopoulou, President of Special Olympics World Sumer Games Athens 2011; Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner, Olympic Legends; Congresswoman Na Kyung-won of Korea; and Aaron Williams, Director of the Peace Corps, among others.
For more information about the Special Olympics Global Congress please visit:
http://www.specialolympics.org/globalcongress/