Special Olympics Bharat recently concluded the second edition of the International Conference on Early Childhood Development for children with intellectual disabilities. Focussing on the central theme, “A Path to Holistic Development”, the 6-day conference explored the most recent innovations and trends in the fields of Early Childhood Education.
Beginning on the 15th of November, the Conference continued to draw attention throughout the week, finally concluding on the World Children’s Day on the 20th of November. The event provided an interdisciplinary platform for institutions, researchers, and educators to discuss the challenges, initiatives, and interventions for early childhood development. Multiple perspectives unfolded through a series of presentations by a diverse group of speakers, all leading to a common premise of early age stimulations profoundly impacting the quality of life of an individual.
“Special Olympics Bharat is committed towards not only promoting the message of inclusion, but also facilitating real change that fosters a more equitable world for people with intellectual disabilities”, says Dr. Mallika Nadda, Chairperson of Special Olympics Bharat. “Over the last few days, some of the best practitioners and researchers have come together to work collectively and move towards a common goal of giving every child the best future possible by focussing on holistic development. I want to extend my gratitude towards all those who participated and helped us lay the foundation for creating life-changing impact for those who are often excluded.”
The conference featured various panels on diverse facets of early childhood development such as nutrition, healthcare, education and therapy. The keynote was presented by Ms Rebecca Ralston who is the Senior Director of Early Childhood and Preventive Health at Special Olympics International and oversees the global strategic development of the organisation’s Young Athletes and early childhood programmes.
