One Month On: Celebrating the Global Impact of World Intellectual Disability Day

One month ago, on 25 July, the Virtus family, organisations and supporters from around the world came together to celebrate the second World Intellectual Disability Day – and the message has never been stronger.

Launched by Virtus in 2025, World Intellectual Disability Day is growing into a global platform for visibility, inclusion and belonging. It brings people together to recognise and celebrate the voices, achievements, talents and contributions of people with an intellectual disability, while challenging the stereotypes and barriers that too often surround them.

This year’s theme, “This is Me – This is Us,” placed people with an intellectual disability at the heart of the celebration. It encouraged individuals to share their stories, celebrate their achievements and show the world who they are, while also recognising the important role of families, friends, teams and communities in creating a sense of belonging.

The response from around the world was powerful. Virtus members, the International Paralympic Committee, Asian, European and American Paralympic Committees, the World Karate Federation, and many other organisations joined the celebration, demonstrating the growing global commitment to greater visibility and inclusion for people with an intellectual disability.

The campaign also generated significant engagement across digital platforms:

1.45 million views
130,900 content interactions
10,900 people reached

But the true impact of the day goes beyond the numbers. It was reflected in the stories shared, the voices amplified, the perceptions challenged, and the connections created across countries and communities.

The celebration was particularly meaningful for Virtus as we mark 40 years of championing excellence and inclusion through sport.

For four decades, athletes with an intellectual disability have challenged perceptions, broken barriers and inspired the world through their determination, strength, resilience and passion. Their journeys have helped shape the Virtus movement and demonstrate the power of sport to create opportunities, change perceptions and bring people together.

This 40-year legacy provides a strong foundation for the future of World Intellectual Disability Day. What began as a single day of celebration is becoming a growing global platform where people with an intellectual disability can be seen, heard, respected and celebrated.

Building the Future

The success of this year’s celebration is not an endpoint – it is a starting point for what comes next.

As the movement grows, Virtus aims to bring more people with an intellectual disability to the centre of the conversation, create more opportunities for them to share their own stories, and welcome more organisations and communities to take part.

In the years ahead, we envision World Intellectual Disability Day becoming a movement that reaches far beyond sport, bringing together communities, governments, organisations, schools, workplaces and the wider public around a shared commitment to inclusion, visibility and belonging.

Most importantly, the future of World Intellectual Disability Day belongs to the people it celebrates. Their voices, ideas, experiences and ambitions will continue to shape what this day becomes and where the movement goes next.

From one day of celebration to a year-round movement for change, the journey has only just begun.

Virtus at 40: Championing Excellence Since 1986