Global Family Leaders

Special Olympics Global Family Leaders are instrumental in making Special Olympics a success for everyone involved. Global Family Leaders promote, educate and inform families, Special Olympics Programs and the community about the mission, philosophy and benefits of the movement. Contact your Regional representative for 2013-2015 for more information about getting involved.

Global Family Leaders' Declaration

The Global Family Leaders' Declaration to Change the World: As Special Olympics Global Family Leaders, WE BELIEVE that any society aspiring to be just must value the ideas, skills and contributions of all of its members, including people with intellectual disability. Intellectual disabilities transcend race, gender, religion, national origin, geography and political philosophy.

• WE RECOGNIZE that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities are inspiring examples for hope, dignity and courage.

• WE COMMIT to understand, respect and value all individuals, to improve attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities and to create real opportunities for and with them in friendship, education, employment, self-advocacy, health care and sports participation.

• WE PLEDGE to focus our efforts on developing family support through our leadership and devotion to the belief that there will come a day when the families of those with intellectual disabilities can hold their heads high throughout their community, throughout their country and throughout the entire world.

Representatives from every Region joined together for a week of learning and leadership at the 2013 Global Family Leader Summit in Korea.

2013-2015 Global Family Leaders

Africa Representative: Hanna Garises, SO Namibia
Asia Pacific Representative: Tehmina Azim, SO Pakistan
East Asia Representative: Qi Yang, SO China
Europe/Eurasia Representative: Simone Attard, SO Malta
Latin America Representative: Miguel Veloso, SO Venezuela
MENA Representative: Mohammed Al Sharah, SO Kuwait
North America Representative: Maureen Webber, SO Jamaica

Global Family Leaders from the outgoing class inspired those of the incoming class at their induction dinner.

2011-2013 Global Family Leaders

Ana Petrovska, Special Olympics, Macedonia
Hanna Garises, Special Olympics Namibia
Kyaw Htut, Special Olympics Myanmar
Choi Wa Lo, Special Olympics Macao
Fu Shun Lee, Special Olympics Taipei
Jong Sae Park, Special Olympics Korea
Guiseppe Montemurri, Special Olympics Italy
Sydney Fox, Special Olympics Arizona
Mira Morsi, Special Olympics Egypt

2009-2011 Global Family Leaders

PG. May Fazura PG. HJ. Radin Hanafi , Special Olympics Brunei
Zipporah Mulinge, Special Olympics, Kenya
Amina Msefer, Special Olympics, Morocco
Ana Petrovska, Special Olympics, Macedonia
Rudy Ungston, Special Olympics, Philippines
Henrietta Siu, Special Olympics, Hong Kong