Special Olympics

EDM number 1812 in 2008-09, proposed by Keith Vaz on 03/07/2009.
Categorised under the topic of Sports.

That this House welcomes the Special Olympics Britain Summer Games in Leicester between 25 and 31 July 2009; recognises the huge contribution of the Special Olympics movement in transforming the lives of intellectually disabled athletes by providing competitions and year round sports training to nurture their sporting abilities; notes that over 2,700 athletes representing 19 Special Olympics regions across the UK will visit Leicester along with 1,200 coaches and 1,500 volunteers; further recognises that providing these services at local, national and international levels requires significant funding; acknowledges the many opportunities and benefits for athletes, families and the wider community that will result from events in the UK and across the EU; appreciates the wider public benefits of delivering on priorities for volunteering development, social inclusion, integration and equal opportunities; endorses the written declaration by the European Parliament on 23 April 2009 acknowledging the contribution of Special Olympics and calling on the European Commission to support the European Special Olympics Summer Games in Warsaw in 2010 and the World Special Olympics Summer Games in Athens in 2011; commends the Sports Minister for his efforts to provide financial assistance to Special Olympics GB; and urges the Government fully to support Special Olympics Europe Eurasia by encouraging the European Commission to provide appropriate funding.

This motion has been signed by a total of 54 MPs.