Last June, I joined nearly 85,000 athletes, special guests, and supporters from around the world as they descended on Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, to attend the opening ceremony of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. The 2003 games showcased and celebrated the power of the Special Olympics movement, which plays out daily in communities around the world. It was my good fortune to witness the tremendous heights that people with a disability can achieve in athletics and in life.
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Reaching Out in New Ways
The 2003 games also achieved a number of firsts. The 11th Annual Special Olympics World Summer Games was televised and beamed to 100 million people worldwide. It was the first time the games have been held outside the United States. For the first time ever, students in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland studied the same curriculum as part of the School Enrichment Program—one that taught them to understand and value the abilities of people with learning disabilities. As well, it was the first time an international exhibition of art from the delegations was part of the occasion.
It was billed as the biggest event Ireland has ever witnessed. Many special guests, some of the most feted people in the world, gathered for this unprecedented celebration of human spirit. Two legendary icons—Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali—joined other dignitaries in celebrating the heroes of the Special Olympics. These great thinkers, dedicated to the rights and abilities of families, listened to youth leaders who will champion the movement around the world for years to come.
The 7,000 Special Olympians from 150 countries who competed in 21 events reminded us of the potential that resides in every one of us. Among the participants was 29-year-old runner Ali Ameer from Pakistan, who had never tasted ketchup or Corn Flakes cereal before he came to Ireland. A few years prior to the games, Ali could barely walk, but he overcame his disability and raced for his country. Maksym Baytsar of the Ukraine participated in doubles table tennis. One of the first medal winners was 13-year-old Sammyjo Sweeney from Ireland, who took the bronze medal in one of the 50 meter track and field events. Cynthia Coffin of Team USA took the first gold medal—in one of the 10,000 meter events. And there is the amazing story of John Ssebunya who apparently was lost in the jungle around the age of four, adopted by a troupe of African green monkeys, and saved from the jungle to eventually play football with the team from Uganda. These wonderful people and countless others are our hope for a brighter future.
Celebrating Differences
While we celebrate these achievements, we must remember that the games are about more than sports. As Ron Vederman, director of athlete recruitment and school and youth outreach for Special Olympics in Washington, D.C., reminds us, "For many, the success of the 2003 World Games will stretch beyond Ireland's shores. The 38 members of the Global Youth Summit are interested in far more than the sporting event. For them, the games are about dispelling stereotypes and negative attitudes towards people with a learning disability."
The world can learn much from the Special Olympics. As Timothy Shriver, the organization's chairman, said in his letter of welcome to Special Olympics guests, we can begin by seeing "Special Olympics as a metaphor for the world we all dream of: a place defined by inclusion, not by exclusion; a place where differences are cause for celebration, not castigation; a place where people of all races, faiths, nationalities, ages, and socioeconomic levels work together for the best in humanity."