Current evidence indicates that most young people with intellectual disabilities do not grow up with the same level of services and support as their peers without disabilities, reaching adulthood without the skills and opportunities needed to become productive and fulfilled members of society.

In conjunction with the Special Olympics European Youth Games, being held September 30-October 5, 2006 in Rome, Italy, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE) will organize a European symposium on October 1, 2006 to collect, share and discuss current information on the status of young people with intellectual disabilities in Europe, and to identify best practices for improving quality of life and ensuring equality of opportunity. The three focus areas for the full-day symposium are: health, social inclusion (with an emphasis on education), and sport and physical education.

Participants will include European ministers and government representatives from the areas of health, social services, education, youth and sports; members of the European Parliament and Commission, representatives from sports federations, leaders of family associations, university educators, nongovernmental organizations, and representatives of corporate social responsibility.

A full symposium report will be circulated by the end of 2006 to stakeholders across Europe/Eurasia and internationally.

The International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education is a patron of the symposium.

For more information about the symposium, including registration, contact: