The Sibling pairs showcased skills and encouraged more participation and opportunities for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

The Athletes of Special Olympics Bharat along with their siblings, virtually celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, upholding their abilities and reaching out to more siblings, family members and State leaders to join the forum. The event was a culmination of a month-long activities and engagements that created an open platform for the Siblings pairs to engage together in multiple activities. Subject-focused sessions were held with their families separately, creating an opportunity for them to deliberate essential challenges and concerns with each other as well as with experts invited for each of them

Air Marshal Keelor, Founder & CEO, SO Bharat said - “I am deeply impressed and touched by the determination of the Siblings to engage effectively in the lives of the Athletes, to open the environment of growth and allow them to discover new horizons. It is one of the very prized programs; a fantastic initiative having a high potential. I will hope and pray that we will be able to increase the participation. The Area Directors (State Leaders) have already been told by us and together we will be able to make it a grand program”

The event drew a distinguished audience that included the Chairman of SO Bharat and a recipient of the Dhyan Chand Award, Mr. Satish Pillai; Ms Meghan Hussey and Ms Alicia Paul from the Special Olympics international, USA; Ms. Lynn Tan, Ms. Avi Tania and Ms. Bella Choo from the Special Olympics Asia Pacific , Singapore Regional office

The event was anchored by the Sibling Pairs from different States of India as well as presented by them. The session rolled out a concise understanding of the Special Olympics Sibling Engagement Program and the need of deliberating and actioning viable housing and financial planning for Persons with Intellectual Disability. With an objective of creating Climate consciousness amongst the youth, a session was held on the individual responsibility towards it with Krishna Khullar, a young athlete in the Autism Spectrum talking about how he keeps his environment green. A student team from the NIFT (National Fashion Technology) Mumbai shared an interactive website design, to augment Socio-emotional learning, which is in the offing

About Special Olympics Sibling Engagement

Inspired by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics movement and a sibling herself, Special Olympics has identified the power of siblings as agents of change for inclusion. Siblings of Special Olympics athletes are invited to do more than cheer on the sidelines: they have the opportunity to get in the game as leaders of the Unified Generation both on and off the playing field through Unified Sports and advocacy work. Through a partnership of the Samuel Family Foundation, Special Olympics is able to proactively reach out to siblings by developing resources, holding workshops, and supporting sibling projects to make their schools and communities more inclusive.