The project “Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities” started its third year.
At the beginning, in January 2021, the five partners, Special Olympics organizations from Central, Southern Europe and the Balkans, set out to mobilize over 5,200 children and young people with developmental disabilities to participate in inclusive sports training and events. The purpose is to encourage children with and without intellectual disabilities to learn and play together, to increase the skill level of young people with developmental disabilities through team activities and games, to promote inclusion in the community and among young people without disabilities, and to give back to members families’ confidence in the abilities of young people with disabilities. 
At the beginning of the third year of implementation, the numbers show that the project is having a significant impact on everyone involved: 
– Children and young people with developmental disabilities – 4052
– Children and young people without developmental disabilities – 6894
– Coaches, family members, volunteers – 4056
– Organizations involved (sports clubs, schools, NGOs, etc.): 298
Until the end of the project, in December 2023, Special Olympics partners will continue to develop sports programs that promote inclusion and equal opportunities for all young people and children in partner countries.
The “Inclusion through sports for children with developmental disabilities” program is implemented by Motivation Romania Foundation in partnership with the Special Olympics organizations from Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, with the support of SO Europe Eurasia Foundation, Special Olympics Iceland and the University of Poznan, Poland.
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“Sports inclusion for children with developmental disabilities” benefits from a grant of 1,195,000 Euros from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation. The aim of the project is to support children with intellectual disabilities and support their social inclusion, by encouraging sports training and participation in sports games together with children without disabilities.
About EEA and Norway Grants
EEA funds and Norway Grants represent Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway’s contribution to a green, competitive and inclusive Europe.
The main objectives are: reducing economic and social inequalities in Europe, as well as strengthening bilateral relations between donor countries and 15 EU member countries in Central Europe, Southern Europe and the Baltic area. The three donor countries collaborate closely with the European Union through the Agreement with the European Economic Area (EEA). Donor countries provided €3.3 billion in consecutive grants between 1994 and 2014.
For the period 2014 – 2021, the EEA and Norway Grants funds have a value of 2.8 billion Euros.