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The Hope For Inclusion ✨✨✨
Change The Game - SOAP Newsletter July 2020
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Dear Friends,
For many, the world was a very different place 52 years ago, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics.
Taking a flight somewhere was reserved only for the privileged. The internet wasn’t invented. Computers for the masses didn’t exist. People still used rotary phones. Apartheid was still in place. People were still being institutionalised for being intellectually disabled.
The world has changed for many of us but for people with intellectual disabilities their world hasn’t progressed much.
Many have never experienced life outside their homes. For many Special Olympics athletes, the World Games provides them the opportunity to experience many ‘firsts’ - their first flight, the first time being celebrated on the world stage, and the first time meeting people from all over the world.
The digital divide is widening, computer literacy and smart phones are a luxury for many of our athletes. Studies have shown that unemployment rate for them is more than twice as high compared to people without disabilities, and in many countries, they aren’t even allowed to vote.
Yet now, these societal prisons remain large. People with ID aren’t confined, but many still have nowhere else to go and no one else to fall back on - apart from those that truly embrace them. And hence in this issue we celebrate these Inclusion Champions.
At Special Olympics we celebrate our 52nd Anniversary and the Global Week of Inclusion which started from 20th July. It is heartening to see the activations all over the Asia Pacific region, and the world, where our advocates rise up to champion inclusion in their communities, in schools, and now online.
The adaptability and tenacity of our athletes is inspiring. Their extraordinary strength is helping us shape a new understanding of leadership, to unleash leadership potential in people of all abilities. Too often, because of negative attitudes and low expectations, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) don’t get an opportunity to show what they can do.
We may have taken strides but we can always do more. Everyone has a part to play to overcome this barrier – to step up and provide an inclusive environment where everyone can succeed in meaningful roles.
So we invite you to join us and help achieve our vision of an inclusive world for all, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy and fulfilling lives.
May we continue to change the game and we hope you enjoy the read.
Dipak Natali
President & Managing Director
Special Olympics Asia Pacific
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#1000CRANESFORINCLUSION TAKES FLIGHT
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In celebration of the Global Week of Inclusion, youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities across the Asia Pacific region came together to create origami cranes, where Japanese legend states that every 1000 pieces forms a #Senbazuru, a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times.
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What started off just as a mini afternoon-tea activation to engage a legion of 50-plus youth trapped indoors with boundless creativity and time on their hands - has now taken flight. We urge everyone to join in the cause and help us create #1000CranesForInclusion.
Visit the link below where we present 16 of our Athlete & Youth leaders who kick-started this initiative, learn how to fold an origami crane, try our Instagram filters, change your Facebook frames, find our donation link, share our outreach one-pagers with your network and see all the cranes created by supporters of the movement.
P.S.: 1000 Cranes is our minimum (we’ve hit it) and it is definitely not the limit!
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GLOBAL EXPANSION OF
UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS
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As part of the legacy of the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, Special Olympics announced the global expansion of the Unified Champion Schools program, on the first day of Global Inclusion Week.
The initiative was made possible through the support of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Across the Asia Pacific region, this initiative will be expanded in Special Olympics Bharat and Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP), empowering young leaders to create lasting social change through inclusion in education for people with and without intellectual disabilities.
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NOMINEES FOR
CHAMPIONS OF INCLUSION
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Together, and individually, these are the people who are breaking down barriers and building a more just and joyful world for all of us!
Here are three Champions from Asia Pacific who have been nominated for leading the charge for respecting and empowering people of all abilities—in sports, in schools, in the workplace, in the community, everywhere.
Here are exerpts from their entry: |
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ISABELLE, HELPING THOSE IN NEED |
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British School Manila (BSM) high school student Isabelle Ong took the initiative to seek donors of rice so she could help Special Olympics athletes in Metro Manila. Her intentions were rewarded, she was able to get 900 kilos of rice donations! With the help of her family, they repacked the rice and started delivering directly to the homes of each athlete. The rice donations will be good enough for a 2nd and 3rd round of distributions in July and August.
Isabelle proves that no matter how young you are, you can always help make this world a better place. |
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SIMRAN, TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY |
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During the pandemic, I have realized that there are many challenges we face but in a way I now experience what PWID feel most of their lives. I can feel the true sense of empathy now. I am able to be in touch with so many athletes and youth leaders without ID. I am able to have a closer look into their lives and know what they actually need. I am able to conduct more fulfilling events and workshops for them which help me grow as a person as well. To my surprise, I have seen many athletes being advocates to provide correct information about the pandemic to their communities. The dedication they have towards sports is un-parallelled and never fails to motivate me. |
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Shrey did not speak in the early few years of his life, a problem that may be attributed to a birth defect. At the age of 1, he spoke just 1-2 words, which also stopped. People told his mother to place him in a Mental Hospital. Why invest energy in disciplining him, as he would never improve?
Family members also refrained from inviting us for get-togethers to avoid tackling Shrey. Even my husband sometimes asked me why I did so much for him. There were moments when I felt so alone. What others said hurt me but when I used to see Shrey’s face, it gave me positive energy. Nothing negative really affected me. I knew that what I am doing for my son is right.
The story goes on as he continues to grow and reach out to more athletes to achieve their higher capabilities!
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JOIN THE INCLUSIVE PARTY WITH
SO PHILIPPINES
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SO Philippines celebrated Global Week of Inclusion with a slew of events, including sports, play, educational activities and festivals. The athletes were given the opportunity to get closer to the wider community in which they live while they shared their personal stories with the audience.
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Most of the sessions were hosted by SO athlete leaders Henry and Derek Munarriz
There was the Movement Revolution Online Dance Party, an online Unified HipHop Dance Workshop, conducted by world champion dance artist Krista Roma.
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There was also an Online Unified Intro to Speedskating by Philippine National Athlete / Southeast Asian Games athlete and Youth Leader Anna Cruz. The session culminated in a Virtual Hangout: Unified Jamming and Karaoke edition starring the talented athletes across Philippines.
Their corporate partner Bounty Agro Ventures Inc also hosted an origami class facilitated by Rose Gallo in support of #1000CranesforInclusion. Best Buddies Philippines also partnered with them to host a Zoomba Class led by athlete leaders, Kamille Tingzon and Carl Garcia. FWD Life Philippines gathered their staff and supporters to share their messages of inclusion #WechoosetoInclude.
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CHANGE THE WORLD FOR TOMORROW,
INCLUDE TODAY
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Special Olympics Thailand’s collaborated with volunteers from their corporate partner FWD Life Insurance, to create a video sharing the story of our origins, the impact of the movement and their hopes for a unified future.
The video features athlete leaders, youth leaders and volunteers nationwide who came together virtually to promote social inclusion.
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SO Bharat invited the staff of Aravind Eye Hospital Puducherry to be part of the #1000CranesForInlnclusion campaign which saw them make 1080 cranes - forming the message "Distanced by Covid, yet Unified by Hope". |
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Over at Alternative Inclusive Centre for Education that supports abandoned children and children of incarcerated parents, some 54 students also created 93 cranes and they hope to fold even more. |
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They also held a star-studded webinar which saw a candid exchange between athletes and celebrities from diverse backgrounds. Dipak Natali, President and Managing Director, SOAP said: "This is what inclusion is all about, where everyone has been given the opportunity to put things together in their own way, to ask what they want to ask. The people who matter the most, those who are excluded are the ones asking the questions." |
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BE BOWLED OVER BY SO NEW ZEALAND
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In celebration of the Global Week of Inclusion SO New Zealand (NZ) partnered with Ten Pin bowling venues across the country to give away double passes each day for a week for SONZ athletes to take a friend, family member or their champion of inclusion along for a game of bowling.
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SO NIPPON UNVEILS UNIFIED BALL MOSIAC
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In the true spirit of inclusion, SO NIppon called for athletes, supporters and the public to send in their artwork based on the theme Be With All.
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They received 304 entries, which was significantly more than their initial goal of 200.
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SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD
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As language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions, SO Australia launched a campaign during the week to invite people to pledge to stop saying the R-word to help create more accepting attitudes and communities for all people.
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SO VIETNAM CHAMPIONS UNIFIED SPORTS
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SO Vietnam held a Unified Football and Bocce competition bringing together people with and without disabilities, from athletes, volunteers and the community - experiencing the joy of sports together, bringing us a step closer to leveling the playing field.
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SO Pakistan invited everyone to share what inclusion means to them and why it matters for all of us. Check out some of their heartfelt thoughts below. |
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"Today we are celebrating Inclusion and Neuro-diversity!
Inclusion for me is much more then just Togetherness. It's our Willpower and Strength. It's Friendship and Teamwork and most of all it is pure feeling of Appreciation, Acceptance and Empathy, I believe that our Society needs to Support and Promote Inclusion!"
- Faryal Asif
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"Different doesn't mean anything wrong with me .We all are different from each other.
For me inclusion means: Access,Attitudes, Choices, Partnership, Opportunities and Policies for all.Therefore coming together and working together will make the world a more happiest place for all."
- Haseeb Abbasi |
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