Empress Theophano Prize awarded to the Special Olympics organization
The fifth annual Empress Theophano Award is being awarded to the Special Olympics organization, a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities.
“It is an extremely great honor to receive, on behalf of the four million Special Olympics athletes we represent every day around the world, the Empress Theophano Award. The rights of people with disabilities are human rights. Everyone has the right to participate in society. Everyone possesses a gift to glorify it…,” said Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver.
The award ceremony will be held on October 23 in the northern port city of Thessalonikis Rotunda monument.
This prestigious award honors individuals or organizations that help overcome diversity and foster solidarity within communities as they exceptionally contribute to the improvement of these communities and individuals through their work.
The Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, has provided children and adults with intellectual abilities the opportunity to train and compete in Olympic-type sports. This organization was chosen because it showcases the ability of athletics to advance inclusion and overcome difficulties in life.
“The Special Olympics Organization embodies the core values of the Empress Theophano Award, namely: generosity, human dignity and solidarity across borders…,” Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Theophano Foundation Herman Van Rompuy said.
The foundation takes its name from Empress Theophano, a historic figure who helped bridge a divided Europe in the 10th century. A Byzantine princess, she became empress of the Holy Roman Empire by marriage and played a crucial role in improving relations between East and West.
