In an exclusive interview, Tim Shriver, chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, opened his heart to Al-Ahram Weekly Having flown in from China and watched other regional games which have more experience, Tim Shriver, chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, thought the 7th Special Olympics Middle East and North Africa (SOMENA) Regional Games in Syria was nevertheless successful, Abeer Anwar reports. "We never compare but the Syrian Games were unusual and important as the government had made a point to use the Games of the Special Olympics to promote changing the attitudes and actions of people towards Special Olympics athletes. I did not expect that Syria could host the event that successfully but the goal of our movement is that sport can bring powerful changes, hope, acceptance, enthusiasm, and attraction to special needs. I did not expect that Syria would take the idea to that deep a level. Syria is inviting the country to change its heart through embracing the SOMENA Games." Shriver thought the opening ceremony in Damascus was "a great tribute primarily because they were athlete centred. Athletes were participating as the celebrities of the Games. They were marching in the opening ceremony parade. They were also the ones performing on the stage. They were dancing throughout the whole show. They were part of the planning committee. Even the show itself was about the dreams and the hopes, the desire and the passion of the intellectually disabled athletes to be included in society. This made the opening ceremony particularly powerful -- the way of telling the Special Olympics story, the way they were telling all of Syria that we are not only seeking the event but we seek a change in the way of life. We seek to change the vision of the whole world to people with special needs. We need the world to support the intellectually disabled not only for a few days but all through the way." Commenting on Mrs Asmaa Al-Asaad being the patron of the Games, Shriver said, "She is a cooperative figure. She is a patron, and has an enormous affection and desire to support all children with intellectual disabilities. Children were greatly touched by her and through talking with her I understood that she greatly believes in our movement and in the right of Special Olympics athletes to live normally among their societies. "The developmental plan of Special Olympics was to bring all athletes, countries, family leaders, staff members, donors, officials and everyone at Special Olympics together and to make us feel that we are one team and that we should all help each other and be one hand. As a team we have to set common goals and to co-operate with each other. I think that this is what we achieved in the Global Congress held in Marrakesh in Morocco. All our feedback from the people who attended showed that they started feeling that they are related to each other and related to a bigger body and this was the first outcome. "The second outcome was to make our movement operate more smoothly and officially with better execution and better implementation to create a common brand around the world, a common mark, and great growth potential. Our message in the coming period is quality more than fund-raising. We are trying to raise money in new places like India and China and Russia but we need a good managing team. We need to make Special Olympics a brand like Microsoft, Vodafone or Coca Cola, that is well managed and depends on higher qualities like any other organisation." In evaluating the SOMENA performance, Shriver said, "In MENA, it is spectacular. The stuff is focused on quality and attracting more athletes. The MENA region has undergone an enormous change when compared to 10 years ago." As to SOMENA's chances of hosting a World Games: "Absolutely. Any region and any country can have the chance to host the Games as long as they have the finances to do so. I think the MENA region has many countries that have the leaders, the facilities, great athletes, and the finance and could easily do this. MENA still has the chance of hosting 2015, 2017, etc." On the Unity Cup that took place alongside the World Cup 2010, Shriver added, "It was proof of unity. People of intellectual disabilities must be included. We are working with FIFA nowadays to extend our cooperation in all football events around the world and this ensures that our message can reach out everywhere." He said he was looking forward to concluding agreements with other sports. "It is important to get the message out and show that every day there is a different story and I will always be dedicated to carrying the message out and completing what my great mother [SO founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver] started years ago as long as I am capable of doing this." By Abeer Anwar
