Photo by Manuel De Libero
The Special Olympics Unified with Refugees initiative continues its global expansion, with new inclusive sports events taking place across Cyprus, Italy, Slovakia, and Spain in January and February 2026, supported by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme.
Since its launch in 2016, the Unified with Refugees initiative has positively impacted more than 10,000 refugees and people with intellectual disabilities worldwide. The program creates meaningful opportunities for social integration through sport, pairing Special Olympics athletes and refugees in Unified teams where participants with and without intellectual disabilities play together. Beyond promoting physical activity, the initiative strengthens emotional wellbeing, builds friendships, reduces social isolation, and raises public awareness about inclusion, dignity, and equal opportunity.
The program’s growth has been made possible through continued collaboration with the European Union, as well as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Lions Clubs International Foundation, ESPN, and a network of local and national partners.
Gerald Mballe, now Global Coordinator for the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees program, was first introduced to the Special Olympics movement in 2015 in Turin, Italy, as a legally resettled refugee. His journey from participant to global leader reflects the program’s life-changing potential.
Photo by Manuel De Libero
“The Unified with Refugees program is a powerful example of how sport can restore hope, rebuild confidence, and create a true sense of belonging. For many refugees, this initiative is more than a game, it’s a pathway to friendship, healing, leadership, and a future built on dignity and opportunity. I am living proof that when communities choose inclusion through sports, lives can be transformed.”
Gerald Mballe, Global Coordinator for the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees Program
Today, the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees program operates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cyprus, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Tanzania, and Uganda, continuing to expand its global footprint.
In Cyprus, the initiative has placed a strong emphasis on supporting refugees through Unified sports events held in reception centers and host communities, offering a safe and welcoming environment for connection.
“Through Unified with Refugees, hundreds of refugees, athletes, families, and volunteers, have discovered new friendships, and opportunities. This initiative proves that when sport, education, and inclusion come together, we can create long-term social change and a more compassionate society.”
Eleni Rossides, National Director of Special Olympics Cyprus
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
