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DANIR 2023 | Our involvement LINNEA BJÖRNDAL 30

“ I start the day by waking the family
and making coffee, then I go to work out.
After that, I’m ready to face the day.”

“I’ve taken so many experiences with me from and her team implemented 52 Special Olympics
my time in South Africa. The deepest impression School Days. Their success provided Sweden with
was made by the Zulu term ubuntu, which roughly significantly more para-athletes.
translated means ‘I am because we are’, a philosophy
that emphasises the importance of community and As national director, Linnéa’s current role is more
human interdependence. That we are all intercon- overarching; in addition to arranging major sporting
nected and that our welfare and success depend on events, it also involves other aspects of athletes’
caring for and supporting one another,” says Linnéa lives away from the track, field or arena.
when asked what made the greatest impression on
her during her time working for Sida in South Africa. “I start the day by waking the family and making
coffee, then I go to work out. After that, I’m ready
It was while in South Africa that Linnéa saw the to face the day, which often consists of a bunch of
job advertisement placed by the Swedish Parasport local, regional, national and international meetings,”
Federation and Special Olympics Sweden, seeking
someone to manage a project to get more people
active. She was hired and soon found herself
responsible for developing Special Olympics School
Days, events at which pupils attending schools for
children with intellectual disabilities can meet local
sports clubs and try different sports. The fact that
the initiative was turning into something of an uphill
battle only increased Linnéa’s determination to make
it succeed. Instead of the planned 30 days, Linnéa