we showed the world the real meaning of determination
Special Olympics Ceremonies – Special Olympics International
BRIEF
Use the Opening Ceremony to challenge perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities.
Bringing together 7,000 athletes from 190 nations, the 2019 Special Olympics took place in the Middle East for the first time, in Abu Dhabi.
We were asked to create Opening and Closing Ceremonies that would show the world what people with intellectual disabilities (ID) can achieve.
APPROACH
‘We made it’: sharing their own truths
Rather than telling the stories of people with ID – or ‘People of Determination’ as they are known in the UAE – we worked with them, as part of our team, helping them to use their own voices to design the ceremonies and show the world the great things they are capable of.
So the athletes and The Makers were truly able to say ‘We Made It’ – we made it to the Games, and we made this Ceremony.
EXPERIENCE
A Celebration of Determination
Telling Their Own Stories
A moving Opening Address, celebrating the human spirit that binds us, was given by Makers Asma and Nazeer, who also acted as MCs for the night.
A Cast of Thousands
Our 1,500-strong cast of volunteer dancers, athletes, Special Olympics medallists, celebrity ambassadors, and 750 UAE schoolchildren were guided by the Makers – the creators, producers and hosts.
A Vision of Unity
500 young volunteers took part in a ‘Perpetual Motion’ performance of choreography and spoken word, and hundreds of children from across the UAE sang in a Unified Choir.
A Spark of Hope
A combined team of Special Olympics athletes and Olympians carried the Flame of Hope into the stadium, lighting a 10-metre-high Cauldron, engraved with 195 messages of support from ID communities around the world.
A Constellation of Stars
His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, declared the games open, and the Closing Ceremony was lit up by local and international performers including Nicole Scherzinger.
An Audience of Millions
With 40,000 live audience members, the events were broadcast live to millions of viewers across 160 nations.
IMPACT
The Best Ever
Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver called this ‘the best World Games ever’ for its unified quality, and our Ceremony journey with The Makers attracted worldwide press.
The Most Inclusive Ever
More importantly, we amplified voices that too often go unheard to millions of people worldwide, setting a new standard for inclusion at future Special Olympics ceremonies.
The Most Empowering Ever
And this job changed lives: some of our Makers have gone on to secure public speaking roles, creative commissions, sports awards, and employment – continuing to show the world what they’re capable of.
“Enabling and empowering The Makers to create the Ceremonies perfectly captured the spirit of the Special Olympics. We were very proud of The Makers from the UAE in their contribution on a global stage. They have had a profound effect on all of us. As well as creating two beautiful Ceremonies, we feel we have set a new standard for a unified approach to the Games.”