Nada Kakabadse, Professor of Policy, Governance and Ethics at Henley Business School, and a member of the Theophano Foundation’s Governing Council, provides the latest update on the organisation’s ‘Empress Theophano Prize’ 2024 award ceremony.

The 5th Empress Theophano Prize, aiming to highlight persons or organisations who embody European and universal values, will be presented to Special Olympics and its Chairman, Dr. Timothy Shriver. on Wednesday, 23 October, 2024 in Thessaloniki, at the Rotunda monument, a symbol of multiculturalism.

The event will be attended by prominent figures from Europe and beyond with the active participation Special Olympics athletes.

Following the previous year’s awards, which focused on education, science, the arts and humanitarianism, this year the Theophano Foundation highlights the social role of sports, through the vision of Special Olympics to create a world where everyone is accepted, celebrated and welcomed, regardless of abilities.

Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, commented:

“On behalf of the four million Special Olympics athletes we serve every day around the world, it is truly one of my greatest honours to accept the Empress Theophano Prize. Disability rights are human rights. Everyone has a right to participate in society. Everyone has gifts to celebrate.”

Previous winners of the Theophano Foundation prize have included the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme, the inventors of the life-saving COVID vaccine, Dr Uğur Şahin and Dr Özlem Türeci, the globally respected pianist and maestro Daniel Barenboim for his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, and the United Nations, represented by António Gutteres, UN Secretary-General, for its contribution to world peace and international cooperation.

Aiming to foster dialogue on important issues concerning the social integration and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, the Theophano Foundation is organising a Round Table Discussion titled ‘Inclusive Sports: Driving Human and Social Development for a Changing Europe’ on Thursday, 24th October at Thessaloniki Concert Hall.