A Message from Timothy Shriver, PhD, Chairman of Special Olympics International
International Day of Education, January 24, 2025
Last year, in our first annual assessment of inclusion in education, I wrote about the progress we have led and seen since our founding in 1968, as well as the immense challenges left that still demand our immediate action as a society. The overwhelming response to that letter reinforced what we’ve long known: the aspiration for genuine inclusion transcends borders, cultures, systems and, most importantly, disability status. While governments worldwide have signed declarations and conventions promising an inclusive education system that accommodates diverse learning needs, the reality remains stark: according to UNICEF, children with disabilities are nearly 50% more likely never to have attended school than children without disabilities. Children with severe disabilities are almost four times more likely never to have attended school. These aren’t just statistics—they represent millions of broken promises to children and their families. And now, as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes education, we face the risk of leaving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—3% of the world’s population—locked out of the most revolutionary technology since the personal computer. Read the full letter.