Quick Start Guide
On the epic journey through the 25 countries from London to Brazil, The Ball participated in education, fundraising, advocacy, press and PR activities for many inspiring causes. The Ball’s presence created news headlines for these organisations and got their message of inclusion and respect on to the agendas of national and international decision-makers.
In workshops and in schools, in the street and in stadiums, tens of thousands of people came in contact with The Ball and signed it along its journey. By the time it reached Brazil, The Ball 2014 was the most–autographed ball in the history of the sport.
In Latin America, The Ball teamed up with Special Olympics to raise public awareness of their Unified Football initiative. Events held in every country en route brought people with and without intellectual disabilities together in communities of tolerance and inclusion.
“The eye of the world has now turned for a moment to the pitches of Special Olympics football: to their hearts, to their eyes, to their minds, to their skills, to their abilities, to the joy they bring to this sport, to the joy that they can also bring to their communities every day. The Ball helped us tell that story.”
— Tim Shriver, Chairman & CEO, Special Olympics
The Ball made sure that people with special needs were very publicly seen to be included in sport without prejudice.
