Brussels, 16 June 2023
Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, will be in Berlin to attend the Special Olympics World Games 2023 (17 -25 June) on Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 June. The Special Olympics Games are the largest inclusive sports event worldwide for people with intellectual disabilities of ages eight and older, of all ability levels, intending to recognise their participation in private and public life. This will also be an occasion for athletes, international government officials, representatives of international NGOs and scholars to discuss the inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in society.
On Saturday, Commissioner Dalli will attend the opening ceremony in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. On Sunday, the Commissioner will be speaking at the Inclusive Global Development Roundtable event, and will join the launch of the Special Olympics Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion. Finally, she will meet with athletes and youth leaders.
Through the Erasmus+ budget, the Commission is supporting the 2023 Special Olympics World Games promoting social inclusion through sport, in particular the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. In the same regard, the implementation of the Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a cornerstone of EU policies. The Strategy strives to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy their right to fully participate in society in the EU and beyond, such as the Olympics.
Source – EU Commission