Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics, was a pioneer in
the worldwide struggle for rights and acceptance for people with
intellectual disabilities.
One Woman’s Vision
Eunice believed in justice. But, in the late 1950s
and early 1960s, she saw little justice in the way people with
intellectual disabilities were treated. She saw they were excluded and
routinely placed in custodial institutions. They were often ignored and
neglected, yet she knew they had many talents and gifts to offer.
Eunice had a sister, Rosemary, who had an
intellectual disability. She and Rosemary grew up playing sports
together and with their family. The sisters swam, they sailed, they
skiied, they played football together. But in those days, there were
limited programs and options for someone like Rosemary. She went on to become an athlete in college, where she began to see that sports could be a common ground to unite people from
all walks of life.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver believed that if people with intellectual
disabilities were given the same opportunities and experiences as
everyone else, they could accomplish far more than anyone ever thought
possible.
She put that vision into action in 1962 by inviting young people with
intellectual disabilities to a summer day camp she hosted in her
backyard. She called it “Camp Shriver.” The goal was to explore the
children’s skills in a variety of sports and physical activities. The
idea behind that first Camp Shriver began to grow. In July 1968, the
first International Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago,
Illinois, USA.
In her remarks at the Opening Ceremony, she said the inaugural
Chicago Special Olympics prove “a very fundamental fact” — that children
with intellectual disabilities can be exceptional athletes and that
“through sports they can realize their potential for growth.” She
pledged that this new organization, Special Olympics, would offer people
with intellectual disabilities everywhere “the chance to play, the
chance to compete and the chance to grow.”
What began as one woman’s vision evolved into Special Olympics
International — a global movement that today serves over 6 million
athletes and Unified partners in 174 countries.
Global Day of Inclusion
Global Day of Inclusion/Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day is an annual
celebration of her life and a global call challenging everyone to
“Choose To Include”. This invitation stems from Mrs. Shriver’s teaching
that on the playing field, we forget about our differences and
recognize our mutual humanity. All year long, but especially on this
day (third Saturday in July), we celebrate the legacy and vision of our
Founder, and invite you to join us and change the game for inclusion.
