What is Special Olympics? Infiltrate an organization that leads a diverse society!

Introduction

NOMURA Co., Ltd. is a member of Special Olympics Japan (SON), an international sports organization that provides people with intellectual disabilities with various sports training and competitions where they can present their results. We planned, designed, and constructed a special exhibition held in March 2023. Ido, who was in charge of planning, would like to introduce the details of their activities and the contents of the exhibition in the form of an interview.

well
Today, I am visiting the office of Special Olympics Japan (hereinafter abbreviated as SON). Having been involved in a special exhibition held at Chukyo University in Aichi Prefecture, I wanted more people to know about the project and the exhibition. thank you. (Interview conducted: April 17, 2023)

　
★Maiko Shintani. In addition to his regular work, he is also working hard as the main person in charge of SON exhibitions.
★ SON Tokyo office interview scene in Nishi-Shinbashi

Encounter with Special Olympics in the Philippines (Mr. Shintani’s case)

well
First of all, I would like to introduce myself.

Shintani
Yes, thank you very much. I belong to the Fundraising and Public Relations Division of the Corporate Planning Department. I have always had a strong interest in foreign countries, and in college I participated in internships at NGOs and NPOs both domestically and internationally, and was involved in local activities. After that, I was assigned to an NGO in the Philippines as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer.

While working in the Philippines, I met a Special Olympics (hereinafter abbreviated as SO) athlete (rhythmic gymnast, Filipino, third year high school student). She told me, ``I have a lot of medals,'' and that's when I learned about SO, and when I returned to Japan, I got a job at SON.

well
There's something fateful about that. We meet people overseas rather than within Japan, and think about domestic issues from the perspective we gained overseas. It may have been a coincidence when I came back, but I felt like I was guided there.

Shintani
yes. When I thought about how I could utilize the two years I spent working with people with disabilities, I realized that I wanted to work at SON.

well
thank you. I would like to explain the organization of SON and the structure of SO in an easy-to-understand manner, so please tell me more about it later based on what I have just said. Well then, Mr. Shishido, thank you very much.

Encounter with Special Olympics (Mr. Shishido)

★Sakiko Shishido. As the manager of the corporate planning department, he expressed his passion for driving SON forward.

Shishido
Yes, thank you very much. I joined SON in 2007. Then I entered my 16th year. Even before I started working at SON, I really liked watching sports, and I often went to sports sites. There are people who support them, people who work hard to compete, people who run the games, and people who report on them. There were people from other countries, there were families, and I loved the atmosphere where everyone was so excited. As I was exposed to various sports, I first learned that the 2005 SO World Championship was held in Nagano.

I didn't even know the name ``Special Olympics,'' and I was surprised to learn that there was a competition for people with intellectual disabilities, and that such a large-scale event was held in Japan. When I looked at the website, I felt a lot of sympathy for Eunice Kennedy Shriver's philosophy and the purpose of her activities, and I also learned that her activities are spreading all over the world. That will be your encounter.

From there, I was in charge of fundraising activities and public relations activities to request donations. I really learned a lot while doing external relations activities with various companies, organizations, and individuals. Since then, I have mainly been involved in fundraising in the planning and marketing team.

well
Do you specialize in such activities, such as collecting donations?

Shishido
SO is a non-profit organization, so we rely on donations and sponsorships from companies, organizations, and individuals. Funding is of course important, but I am working on it because I believe that it is my job to increase the number of people who sympathize with the philosophy of our activities and to communicate the social necessity of our activities.

The overall picture of the organization is a nationwide movement to ``embody SO's philosophy.''

well
thank you. Please tell us the story of SON in Japan. Could you tell us about the size of your organization, and whether you are collaborating with branches or prefectures?

Shishido
First, regarding the organization as a whole, SON is a domestic organization that operates under certification from SO International Headquarters. There is one headquarters in each country, and it cooperates with the international headquarters in a variety of ways, including training coaches, holding national games, and dispatching Japanese athletes to world tournaments.It also coordinates with regional organizations in 47 prefectures nationwide to manage business operations. We aim to popularize and promote SO activities while also conveying the direction. District organizations work with athletes, coaches, and volunteers to develop daily sports programs in the community.
Although each organization will be independent as an organization for people with intellectual disabilities to carry out activities in the local community, activities will be managed in each region while sharing an internationally spreading philosophy and activity policy in Japan. , that's the big picture.

Shishido
Currently, approximately 7,100 athletes with intellectual disabilities (as of the end of December 2022) are participating in sports programs at local organizations in their prefectures.

well
From what I've heard, it seems like it's not an organization with a very clear hierarchy, but rather a loose-fitting organization where people join only when they resonate with the company's ideals. I thought that was the image.

Shishido
It is a nationwide movement that aims to embody the idea of having people with and without intellectual disabilities live together through sports in each region.

well
But on the other hand, if each district organization were to be autonomous, their ways of thinking would be different, and their opinions might even differ. When I heard that it must be quite difficult to adjust and reconcile those aspects, I thought.
There are likely to be differences by region or region.

Shishido
I agree. I think what's important is that it's not just the name of a temporary event or organization, like the plural S in SO's "Special Olympics"*, but that it's a movement after all. In that case, I think it is each site that is responsible for realizing this plural form of S.
*The plural S means that not only competitions but also a variety of activities are held throughout the year, from daily sports training to world championships.

Shishido
It is SON's business to host the National Games once every four years in the summer and winter as a place to present the results of daily practice, and to send the Japanese team to the world tournament the following year. We will continue to provide opportunities to challenge ourselves and demonstrate the results of yesterday's practice, not just wins and losses and rankings. Although there are various issues to be addressed, I believe that the important part of SON's business is to work together to enliven the daily programs and the competitions that demonstrate them.

well
How many people does the SON headquarters have?

Shishido
The secretariat staff is 13 people.

well
Mr. Shishido is in the Corporate Planning Department, right?

Shishido
yes. The Corporate Planning Department is in charge of fundraising, marketing, external relations with supporting companies, and various events and public relations.

"Special Olympics around the world, in Japan, and in your neighborhood"
Managing an organization is difficult...

well
In that case, I think it's about the plural S, which has been mentioned many times before, but I would appreciate it if you could explain SO in an easy-to-understand manner.

Shishido
SO is an international sports organization that provides people with intellectual disabilities with daily sports training and competitions where they can present the results of their training. The organization's biggest mission is not to provide such services, but to support their social participation and make that a reality.

well
What does social participation mean?

Shishido
We believe that there are still very few opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to play sports and participate in activities with local people, as well as employment opportunities in society and opportunities to utilize their abilities. I'm capturing it. I would like to increase the number of such places. Rather than just improving the situation, I want to get to know people with intellectual disabilities and convey my understanding through sports, and I want to create a place where we can understand each other and work together. By doing so, we hope to promote a "society where we can live together."

Shishido
And just like the Olympics and Paralympics, there are world championships once every four years. The previous year, a national game was held to select the Japanese team to participate in the world tournament. This means that there will be a competition every year.

★Image of the activity (from the exhibition explanatory graphic).

well
Then, we have to do it domestically, and we also have to send people, so about half of the four years are spent at competitions.

Shishido
I agree. At the World Championships, athletes with intellectual disabilities are away from their parents for about two weeks, and several training camps are held to allow them to fully concentrate on the sport and demonstrate the results of their daily training.

well
Where will the training camp be held? Is it a pre-training camp? Or maybe a training camp at the world championships?

Shishido
This is a pre-training camp. In 2023, the Berlin tournament was held in June, but the entire team first held a training camp in Tokyo in January. The second training camp was held in March at the Toyota Sports Center in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, with the cooperation of partner company Toyota Motor Corporation. The third time was at the end of April, and although this was a team competition, only the basketball and soccer competitions were held at the Toyota Sports Center.

well
In order to support social participation, it is necessary to have a goal, and that goal is the world championships, which are held once every four years.Before that, there are domestic competitions, a pre-training camp, and on top of that, there are summer and winter seasons. There must be a large number of competitions. How many sports are there currently?

Shintani
There are currently 25 sports in Japan.

Shishido
Eight of these are winter sports.

well
In that case, if you are sent together across the boundaries of the sport, will there be any interaction among them?

Shishido
Yes, we will be acting as the Japanese team, so the competitions during the tournament will of course be different, but we will be participating in the host town program, entering the opening and closing ceremonies, traveling together, eating together, etc. It will be a valuable opportunity to communicate beyond the boundaries.

Expanding unified format competitions is now an international trend

well
In the case of SO, are there any characteristics that make it different from regular sports, such as different rules or different equipment?

Shishido
SO has its own competition. This is the case with floor hockey. This is a winter sport that was created by SOs who devised their own rules so that it could be played in areas without ice rinks. Additionally, Unified Sports® is SO's own initiative.

well
For example, in the Paralympics, people with disabilities are given points, and the team is structured in a way that balances the team and contributes to the scoring of the competition. It's different again, isn't it? To put it a little easier to understand, the Olympics are really athlete-oriented and prioritize competitive ability. People with various disabilities participate in the Paralympic Games, but they don't participate together with able-bodied people. Speaking of what we're talking about, is it correct to say that the format in which you participate with able-bodied people is a team sport?

Shishido
I agree. In bowling, you throw one shot at a time, and in badminton, you play in pairs. More and more competitions are incorporating the Unified Sports® format. The mission of our activities is to create a society where people with and without intellectual disabilities coexist together, and Unified Sports® truly embodies that goal. When Go Kitazawa, a former member of the Japanese national soccer team, came to a unified soccer training camp, he commented, ``It seems like the symbiotic society we are aiming for is being created on the pitch.'' I think it would be great if this form, which we are working on in sports, becomes a normal part of society as a cohesive society. Currently, the International Headquarters is trying to expand the unified format, which is becoming a global trend.

★Image of the unified sports format (from the exhibition explanatory graphic).

well
After hearing his story, I remembered that when I first visited the office to discuss the exhibition, I thought, ``This is great,'' as we were asked to talk about various things. The way they value the experience and the quality of their efforts is very genuine. In a sense, SO is very moving, as both those who participate and those who support it support each other with their pure thoughts.
After working on this exhibition, I felt a great deal of sympathy. It is an important opportunity for everyone to play sports and have fun, and while we value this as a philosophy, we must also work hard to disseminate information about our organization. I remember that we started talking about the exhibition in that context. I hope that this part becomes a point of empathy for various people.

Shishido
SO operates as a sports organization. The basic system is ``divisioning,'' which brings out abilities by dividing athletes into classes and competing against each other, and ``all-athletes awards,'' which praise the hard work of all athletes, and it is very important to be able to connect with and send information to society through sports. I think this is a wide range of activities.

Shishido
It has become clear that rankings and results are not the only things that are important, and that not only the athletes but also everyone should share a wide range of efforts, the thoughts of those who support them, and their daily efforts. And I think you are.

well
Even if you do sports as a hobby, it can be difficult to continue doing so, and it may not be possible to continue doing so due to environmental, financial, or lack of friends. You can play sports on your own if you want to, but having friends with you will give you more staying power. I think it's important to have a clear system that allows you to build up and praise each other with your friends.

Shishido/Shinya
I agree.

well
For example, if you admire an athlete, you might want to do the same thing or imitate them, or you might want to challenge yourself to a competition above them, or you might want to do your best when you are with your friends. I think it's necessary.

Shishido
Isn't it surprisingly difficult to join a community if you're not good at sports? After all, I have the impression that a group of very capable people gather together to do something, but I think SOs can participate without having such mental hurdles.

well
I feel like the barrier is a little low. The same goes for the way we created the rules earlier.

Shishido
If you keep practicing hard and improve your skills, you can challenge to the next division. Some people are competing for the first time, others have coaching qualifications, and everyone here is having fun. It makes me think it's okay. I think if there was a little more effort in school physical education and clubs, more people would be able to enjoy a wider range of sports.

well
thank you. I was able to hear about SON's organization, including its positioning. In the second half, I would like to hear about how this activity will be conveyed through exhibitions, and the talk related to this special exhibition. (Contents continue in Part 2)

Note ①: The special exhibition “Special Olympics ~Be with All® Towards a society where everyone can thrive~” was held at the Chukyo University Sports Museum from March 15th to July 13th, 2023.
It was co-sponsored by Special Olympics Japan and the Chukyo University Sports Museum, NOMURA Co., Ltd. provided sponsorship support as "Designed by NOMURA Co., Ltd.."

Note ②: Another exhibition is planned at the Special Olympics National Games venue to be held in Nagano from November.
November 18-19: White Ring (Nagano City Majima Sports Arena)
February 24-25: Nagano City Wakasato Civic Culture Hall