The fifth ‘Empress Theophano’ Prize was awarded to Particular Olympics, Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver and CEO Mary Davis final week in Thessaloniki, Greece in a transferring ceremony within the 2000-year-old Rotunda in Thessaloniki, Greece, within the presence of a whole lot of world actors within the growth neighborhood.
In his opening speech, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Theophano Basis, Stavros Andreadis, pressured that humanity was and stays the perennial focus over the five-year course of the Prize, and that the overarching goal is to focus on values that mild the way in which in direction of respect for every particular person’s life, the way in which to a greater international society in a world of cooperation and mutual understanding. “This 12 months, I’d say maybe extra emphatically than ever, the Empress Theophano Prize focuses on humanity: on human willpower, energy, effort, which by no means stops regardless of all adversities. Day by day, the individuals of Particular Olympics, athletes and volunteers, by the medium of sports activities, exceed their limitations, change their lives and remodel society itself by their instance,” pressured Mr. Andreadis.
Dr. Timothy Shriver expressed his gratitude for the Prize, noting that it was an accolade not only for the group, however for a motion for human dignity, saying, “We settle for this nice prize within the title of the uniter of East and West—Theophano. We settle for it as an indication that our athletes have gained. They’ve gained victories of their very own. Their victories over division, over conceitedness and over despair. We additionally settle for it within the promise of bravery. This prize goals to reimagine Europe. That can require bravery. If it’s bravery that’s wanted, the athletes of Particular Olympics have it. We would like all colleges on this planet to show inclusivity. We demand that well being programs change and adapt to the wants of individuals with mental disabilities. All youngsters, all adults, ought to have the ability to take part all over the place,” he stated. He added, “we are able to heal the variations that divides us” and known as on athletes to proceed to be courageous, daring and victorious, however to additionally present the world what it means to be free.
A Unified Run together with Particular Olympics Hellas athletes, their coaches and members of the neighborhood kicked off the morning after the award ceremony, previous to a roundtable held on the Thessaloniki Live performance Corridor and moderated by Particular Olympics Board Member and World Athlete Congress Chair Kiera Byland. The almost two-hour panel dialogue titled: Inclusive Sports activities: Driving Human and Social Improvement for a Altering Europe, included opening remarks from Particular Olympics CEO Mary Davis, conclusions from President Herman Van Rompuy, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Theophano Basis, and a energetic panel dialogue from panelists together with Mr. Gilmour Borg, World Athlete Chief from Malta, Ambassador Dionyssios Kodellas, President of Particular Olympics Hellas, Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver, Dr. Jacqueline Jodl, Chief, World Youth and Training, Particular Olympics and Klelia Pantazi, Olympic Medalist, Rhythmic Gymnastics. Panelists mentioned how sports activities can promote social inclusion, help human growth and tackle the challenges that societies face day by day world wide. Dr. Shriver requested what number of international locations and educators world wide can reply how they’re educating the center. He stated, “Each schooling minister on this planet has a solution on what they’re doing in know-how, arithmetic, and synthetic intelligence. However I don’t assume most educators can reply the query how you’re educating the center? The Particular Olympics expertise for youngsters with and with out ID gives a gap of the center and a deepened sense of human dignity for all.”
Dr. Jackie Jodl additional added that Particular Olympics defines inclusion in schooling by, “We imagine when you educate youngsters to play collectively, they may have the ability to study collectively and thrive collectively. On this easy framework there are actually two classes, regardless of the dearth of readability we see within the international conversations about inclusion in schooling, while you begin to speak to youth, there’s an absolute consistency of their definition in inclusion. They know what their definition is and what it seems like and most significantly, they know what it appears like. It appears like respect, connection and belonging. The second lesson that we study is that youth and lecturers are crystal clear about their want to learn to embrace. We should educate inclusion, and we have now a easy framework that we use that works.”
Mr. Borg commented that earlier than he joined Particular Olympics, he was bullied. He stated, “Sadly, I left college earlier than I used to be capable of learn. I used to be focused, as a result of I used to be completely different. I joined Particular Olympics and located buddies and discovered how one can learn. Now I’m proud to say I’m in politics and I used to be elected by my friends. Particular Olympics was the torch I wanted to see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel.”
