The air went electric in Chur, Switzerland with the signing of the official agreement for Special Olympics 2029 World Winter Games. Within a few years, Switzerland will host the world’s largest sporting and charitable event featuring 2,500 Special Olympics athletes and unified partners. If the events of the past week are any indication, they will be astonishing.
Before signing, Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Special OlympicsHe visited the Federal Parliament in Bern, where he and the Special Olympics International team were received by Federal Chancellor Elisabeth Böhm-Schneider and Federal Chancellor Martin Pfister.
The exchange was enthusiastic, with Federal Chancellor Pom Schneider, Head of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs (EDI), expressing, “The inclusion of persons with disabilities is of great importance to the Federal Council. The Special Olympics World Winter Games Switzerland 2029 provides athletes with intellectual disabilities a global stage to showcase their achievements. At the same time, they highlight the core values of inclusion – equal opportunities, respect and dignity.”
He was among the Special Olympics International squad Susan Wang, Sargent Shriver Global Messenger. Raising a valuable insight in a full concert with Federal Chancellor Pom Schneider, she said: “The World Winter Games in Switzerland represent a unique opportunity for athletes from all over the world to come together and experience the power of inclusion through sport.”
Photography by Manuel Lopez
It was a busy visit, with Dr. Shriver and Susan Wang attending numerous events, speaking on podcasts, and embodying the spirit of Uniform Sports® They also joined Special Olympics Switzerland Athletes and supporters at a skating event at the Shore Local Ice Rink. This thought brought to mind the founding of the Special Olympics movement where inclusion began on the playing field.
Photo by Sebastian Schneider/Wearpepper
The signing of the agreement also marks the launch of a major market research study across Switzerland. This study will explore how people with and without intellectual disabilities can be brought together through sport, housing and employment.
“Switzerland 2029 is an invitation for all of Switzerland to become part of a unique movement,” said Bruno Barth, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the Special Olympics World Winter Games Switzerland 2029. “These Games represent joy, connection and the courage to live inclusiveness clearly.”
Shriver, who spoke to an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Zurich, weaved excitement and meaning together, saying: “Through these Games, Switzerland shows that inclusion is not an abstract idea, but a living reality. When we put people with disabilities at the heart of our communities and our lives, we strengthen the cohesion of our entire society.”
