The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Special Olympics Asia Pacific office made a special visit to Bhutan last month, as a strategic move to reclaim its reach and foster inclusivity for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the region. This visit underscores the importance of rebuilding and expanding the Special Olympics programs that were severely impacted by the pandemic.
Special Olympics is a global movement dedicated to transforming lives through the power of sport. By engaging people with intellectual disabilities in sports, health, education, leadership and community-building activities. Special Olympics fights against inactivity, stigma, isolation, and injustice.
The Unified Sports Model is a unique aspect of Special Olympics that brings together individuals with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team, promoting social inclusion, friendship and understanding.
The Bhutan Paralympic Committee had extended an invitation to the Special Olympics Asia Pacific office to attend the Paralympic festival on at Changangkha Middle Secondary School.
Christopher Morris, Board of Director of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific, shared, “The enthusiasm and dedication shown by the athletes, coaches, and families at the Paralympic festival highlighted the incredible benefits of growing Special Olympics programs in Bhutan.”
The team also met with different Civil Society Organization Authority (CSO) in the country. The CSO members expressed their views on how they can support the growth of Special Olympics in the country, emphasizing its status as one of the largest sports organizations for people with intellectual disabilities.
Shruti Mehta, Senior Manager from Special Olympics Asia Pacific based in Singapore, highlighted the organization’s impact on education and health systems, fostering inclusive societies. She stated, “Persons with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities, are forty-nine percent more likely to have never attended school, three times more likely to be bullied. Persons with intellectual disabilities are also five times more likely to develop diabetes.”
Namgay Dorji working as a Program Manager at Ability Bhutan Society stated, “As Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, it has the potential to create a better world by promoting acceptance and inclusion for all. In our country, individuals with intellectual disabilities could have the chance to undergo training and participate in Special Olympics, empowering them through sports and games.”
During their visit, representatives from the Special Olympics Asia Pacific office met with various stakeholders, including the Olympic movement, youth groups, academia, government officials, the UN family, and development partners. These meetings aimed to understand how best to expand the Special Olympics movement in the country.
Since its inception in 2009, Bhutan’s accredited Special Olympics Program is run through the Draktsho Vocational Training Center for Special Children and Youth, and it has actively participated in international events.
Bhutanese Special Olympic athletes have won six gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal since 2011 at World Summer Games.
Notably, at the 2023 World Summer Games in Berlin, athlete Nima Yoezer made history by winning two gold medals in the 100m and shot-put events.
Deki Zam, the current National Sports Director for Special Olympics in Bhutan, expressed that Special Olympics holds significant potential to engage more individuals with intellectual disabilities across the nation. She shared, “The visit from the Special Olympics Asia Pacific regional office presents a valuable opportunity to restructure and expand the program, building on the solid foundations which has already established in Bhutan, to achieve a nationwide reach.”
Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics International, recently acknowledged Bhutan’s efforts in a letter released on the International Day of Education, emphasizing the importance of advancing inclusive practices in education.
In 2022, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF launched a model inclusive Early Childhood Care and Development Centre, aimed at offering early intervention services for children with developmental delays or disabilities.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the Asia Pacific region hard, disrupting contact with athletes and causing a significant decline in participation. With a pre-pandemic reach of over two million athletes, the Special Olympics Asia Pacific office is focused on reclaiming and expanding its influence.
Bhutan having ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and shown a commitment to inclusive education, is a pivotal location for this revival.
As one of the seven regional offices of Special Olympics International, the Special Olympics Asia Pacific oversees 34 countries and 28 active programs, engaging over 400,000 athletes.
This regional office supports country programs by providing resources, capacity-building support, and advocacy, aiming to build sustainable and high-quality programs that drive the mission of inclusion for people with ID. Today, Special Olympics boasts over three million athletes participating in more than 100,000 events annually across 177 countries and jurisdictions.
This initiative aims to revitalize and expand the program’s reach, fostering a more inclusive environment through sports.
Currently, Bhutan has approximately 300 athletes primarily training in athletics.
