Athletes lead the discussion
The Global Athlete Congress ran from 15 to 19 June. Special Olympics reported that it brought together 63 athlete leaders and 63 mentors from 48 national and regional programmes. Participants shared community projects and developed leadership skills intended for use in the movement, workplaces and local organisations. [3]
Kiera Byland takes a board role
The organisation named Kiera Byland chair of the congress, with a four-year place on its international board. Participants worked on policy recommendations for her to bring to the board. The structure gave athletes a route from their own discussions to the organisation’s governing body. [3]
A call to fund inclusive education
Participants in the accompanying Global Forum for Inclusion adopted the Berlin Declaration. It urged governments to support inclusive school sports and begin by allocating at least 3% of education budgets to inclusive programmes for disabled students. The declaration also called for young people with and without intellectual disabilities to shape policy. These were demands for government action. [4]