Global program to reach 10 new countries, training 6,000+ educators in inclusive practices
The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity has pledged US$11 million to Special Olympics International to accelerate inclusive education worldwide, strengthening the impact of the Abu Dhabi-based Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education.
The grant will power the expansion of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program into 10 new countries, while also launching a global training platform that will equip more than 6,000 educators – teachers, coaches, and mentors – with the tools to embed inclusive practices in classrooms and communities.
Building a global movement
Established in 2020 through a US$25 million gift from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the Global Center serves as a hub for research, policy, and programming to advance inclusion. The renewed commitment underscores the UAE’s leadership in shaping a future where education systems value every child.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with leaders including H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US and Special Olympics Board member; H.E. Dr Tareq Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE AID Agency; H.E. Dr Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity; and Dr Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics International.
Voices of leadership
H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba said: “Under the guidance of our leadership, the UAE is committed to fostering societies where youth of all abilities are empowered and celebrated. The UAE is proud to work alongside the Special Olympics to expand opportunity, advance equality, and demonstrate the power of global collaboration to create lasting change.”
H.E. Dr Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei added: “Inclusive education has the power to transform lives, communities, and societies. With this commitment to the Global Center, we further a legacy that began with the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi, contributing to a future where every child can achieve and thrive.”
Dr Timothy Shriver called the grant “a bold affirmation of a simple but revolutionary idea: inclusion is not charity, it is transformation,” noting that the initiative will scale a movement rooted in dignity and equality.
Changing lives in classrooms
The UCS program uses sport, youth leadership, and community engagement to transform schools into inclusive spaces. Since its launch, the Global Center has supported 2,831 Unified Champion Schools worldwide, engaging 1.1 million young people and training nearly 20,000 educators.
Athlete voices bring the impact to life. Patience Irfasha, a Special Olympics Rwanda athlete, shared: “Participating in Unified Sports has changed my life. I’ve made friends I never would have met and learned that we all have something valuable to contribute, regardless of our abilities.”
Independent evaluations in China, Greece, Egypt, India, the US, and Kenya highlight the program’s reach: better academic performance, stronger social-emotional skills, increased belonging, and significant reductions in bullying. In Greece, students were up to 16 times more likely to report growth in patience, empathy, and understanding others.
A lasting legacy
With this new investment, the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity is driving the next chapter of global inclusive education, rooted in the UAE’s vision and carried forward by a worldwide network of educators, students, and advocates united by the power of inclusion.
