Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day Media Highlights

Editor's Note: Tim is in the midst of a very hectic travel schedule right now but wanted to make sure we shared with you a select few of the media highlights from the first EKS Day! So check out the great stories from around the world below!


EKS Day Media Highlights:

27 Sept – Irish Times (Ireland) - Special Olympics founder honoured
On Saturday, Ms. Davis celebrated the memory of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver at Farmleigh House in Dublin. It was one of a number of events held worldwide to mark the inaugural Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day. Ms Kennedy Shriver’s son Mark also attended the Dublin event.

26 Sept – NJ.com (New Jersey, USA) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day
Special Olympics, the organization Eunice Kennedy Shriver began 42 years ago to provide athletic and other opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, paid tribute to its founder in celebrations here and around the world yesterday. The local ceremony hosted by Special Olympics New Jersey featured placement of a time capsule in a memorial brick wall in front of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Sports & Training Center on Princess Road.

26 Sept – New Sabah Times (Malaysia) – Over 100 nations celebrate Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day
Over 100 countries worldwide celebrated the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day (EKS) yesterday, and in Malaysia, the Special Olympics Sabah (SOS) was given the honour to organise a Camp Shriver at Taman Awan Teluk Likas.

26 Sept – Namibia Sport (Namibia) – Football for Hope Centre inaugurated
The Katutura Football for Hope Centre was officially inaugurated on Saturday, September 25 with a high powered guest list in attendance including Namibian Prime Minister Nahas Angula, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, Dr John Dow Junior of Special Olympics Africa, Jan Coetzee of Street Football World and Inge Zaamwani Kamwi of Special Olympics Namibia.

25 Sept – The Hindu (India) - World remembers Eunice Kennedy Shriver today
Special Olympics Bharat will celebrate founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver on Saturday, by organizing a host of activities and special runs.

25 Sept - Special Olympics and Michelle Kwan Skating Clinic
Fox 25 News (Boston, Mass, USA)
Michelle Kwan: “We're getting a bunch of Special Olympians, parents, volunteers getting the community together, getting on the ice, and this is happening all over the world”

25 Sept - Stadium Renamed for Eunice Kennedy Shriver
News 10 NBC (Rochester, NY, USA)
"The stadium formerly known as the Special Olympics stadium was re-named today in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver”

25 Sept - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Legacy Lives On
NBC News 4 Today (Wash. D.C., USA)
She may be gone but Eunice Kennedy Shriver's legacy lives on. Today her memory is being honored with the declaration of the first-ever Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.

Happy Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day!

I want to share with all of you a joint message from my brother Anthony and I that went out to the Special Olympics movement and Best Buddies International.

 Dear Friends,

On behalf of Special Olympics and Best Buddies, thank you for joining us today in celebrating Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day. We are thrilled about the countless ways athletes and buddies, volunteers, and friends of Special Olympics and Best Buddies have joined together to perform "Acts" of unity and inclusion around the world in honor of our mother. This day is more than just a tribute to her, it is a tribute to the difference you are making in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and to the future you are building where all people are accepted, regardless of ability.

As we celebrate today, we thought these words from her would be a special inspiration to you:

“There is no joy like the joy of unleashing the human spirit. There is no laughter like the laughter of those who are happy with others. There is no purpose more noble than to build communities of acceptance for all. This is our glory.” 

Thank you again for your contribution. We hope you will visit our website www.eksday.org and view the "Acts" of unity that so many have performed around the world today.

Sincerely,