UAE Special Olympics honors 99 schools

The UAE Special Olympics organized an exhibition of the achievements of 99 schools registered in the Unified Champions Schools program, which won the title “Unified Champions School”. Primarily on enabling students of all abilities to integrate into the school community and to focus on their athletic and leadership talents.
Representatives of the honored schools, including students and teachers, attended the exhibition, which was held at New York University Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, where they reviewed the inclusive activities through which their schools sought to support and empower students of determination with mental and developmental challenges, and students with different abilities. .
The exhibition will be held within the framework of an international workshop to be held in Abu Dhabi from January 21 to 28, with the participation of 17 countries, and organized by the Global Inclusion Center of the Special Olympics International.

It is worth noting that the Global Inclusion Center received in 2020 a generous grant from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, amounting to $25 million to activate the Unified Champions Schools program in several countries around the world, including Egypt, Argentina, India, Pakistan and Romania. , and Rwanda, in order to achieve the vision of the UAE and the wise leadership of the importance of supporting the largest global initiatives aimed at achieving inclusion in the field of education, and the participation of young people with mental disabilities and different abilities with their schoolmates, with the aim of global expansion in the field of inclusion and contributing to improving the quality of life of communities around the scientist. The workshop also includes field visits for participants from 17 countries to a number of schools in the country to learn about the best practices in the program.
For her part, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the UAE Special Olympics, Shamma Al Mazrouei, said: “We are happy today to see the achievements of 99 schools from all emirates and their exceptional achievements in the field of school integration. Since the launch of the program during the World Games of the Special Olympics Abu Dhabi 2019, the Olympic Foundation has worked The Emirati private sector, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Emirates Foundation for School Education, and all local institutions concerned with the private education sector in the country, to enhance the school experience for students of determination and students of different abilities with their peers, to promote the culture of diversity and acceptance of difference, which has always been a characteristic of society. Emirati.”
Al Mazrouei added: “We are proud that the guests of the International Special Olympics from 17 countries have learned about the Emirati experience in inclusion, especially since the capital, Abu Dhabi, is the headquarters of the Global Center for Inclusion in the International Special Olympics under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State. We welcome all Guests participating in the international workshop in the UAE, which has never hesitated to support international programs related to education, human and community development.
She said: “As we honor the schools today, we extend a special tribute to all the unknown soldiers behind the success of the Unified Heroes Schools program in the Emirates, beginning with teachers, administrators, unified partners, parents, caregivers and work teams in all educational institutions. Your inspiring success stories are the impact we seek to achieve and the imprint we want to make.” We leave it.”