SPECIAL OLYMPICS GLOBAL YOUTH SUMMIT: From serious discussions on how to spread the message worldwide about acceptance of people with disabilities to an impromptu "moon walk" performance by a teenager, a lively session at a Special Olympics Global Youth Summit yesterday had it all.
Nineteen students with learning disabilities from 17 countries and their non-disabled peers gathered to share ideas and show off their talents at the summit, which is running in conjunction with the World Summer Games.
The young people were joined for yesterday morning's discussion session at the Helix in Dublin City University by Irish singer Samantha Mumba, actor Colin Farrell, US Secretary of Education Rod Paige, and an excited troop of schoolchildren from nearby Larkhill school.
The president of the games, Mr Tim Shriver, hosted the informal event in an amphitheatre as participants pitched in with suggestions on how to encourage schools to adopt the Special Olympics Get Into It curriculum, which explains intellectual disabilities to young people and encourages them to become involved in the movement. The curriculum is already taught in 45 countries, including Ireland.
"We have a whole guide to how young people and teachers can go into schools and not teach a lesson but how young people can be changed," enthused Mr Shriver.
"We have posters, videos, a website. We will give enough copies of the guide for every teacher in China if they want."
Fortunately, the education pack detailing the curriculum is available in seven languages, including Chinese, so this offer was not just an empty boast.
Mr Paige said teachers and principals are good leaders and want to do the right thing. "We have to talk more to them."
A South African delegate explained how it had been difficult to introduce the Special Olympics to people in his country where the disabled are often locked up.
"That's very difficult for all of us to accept," replied Mr Shriver. "It's difficult in our hearts. It may make us angry in our heads but it's so hard to hear."
Mr Farrell said the lesson he had learned was "to treat people as human beings regardless of physical or mental disabilities. Just respect everyone around. I'm so proud of all of you today. Fair play to you."
Another participant, Shalini from India, said the students were all so charged up about going home next week and starting up the education programme in their countries. But in a country where people are concerned primarily with survival, what advice was there on how to spread the Special Olympics message, she asked.
"I think everybody, regardless of their situation, is born wanting to care and be cared for, so no matter what your circumstances, what brings us together as human beings is our desire to touch each other," advised Mr Shriver. While we may not have food and medicine, we have "food for the heart and we shouldn't be shy about preaching it in any circumstances anywhere we can".
In between the discussions, a Chinese athlete sang a song and another did a karate demonstration, while an American, Ryan Atkinson, did an impression of the moon walk made famous by Michael Jackson.
Ryan (15) said he had learned "it's important that people don't come up to you and tease you because it's very inappropriate and it hurts real bad, and sometimes people will go home and commit suicide when they get teased".