Olimpiada Inocentilor (Olympics of the Innocents)

Olimpiada Inocentilor (Olympics of the Innocents) is an annual community-wide event celebrating children with special needs in Bistrita-Nasaud County.  Since 2007, Olimpiada Inocentilor has brought joy to children with special needs and to the many volunteers who help to make the children feel like super stars. It all begins with a festive parade through the center of downtown Bistrita, followed by an afternoon of music, games, face painting, competitions, and artistic activities.

The Mission of Olimpiada Inocentilor

During the Communist era, due to the lack of financial possibilities and support from the Government, many families abandoned the children with severe special needs to state institutions. Even today, as more Romanian families keep their children with Special Needs at home, there is still very little support for them in terms of handicap accessibility and community services. What’s more, there continues to be a social stigma to bringing the children out in public. It is for this reason that Fundatia Inocenti created the Olimpiada Inocentilor. One of the key parts of this amazing event is having hundreds of local youth volunteers work one-on-one with our children, helping them build relationships based on respect and teaching a new generation of young Romanian citizens to welcome and support each other, regardless of a person’s level of abilities or special needs.

Olimpiada Inocentilor Partners:

• Bistrita City Hall
• County Child Protection Department
• Bistrita County School Department
• Bistrita Police County Department
• Bistrita Police City Department
• Bistrita Jandarmi Department
• Volunteer Fire County Department
• British School of Bucharest
• Directorate for Youth and Sport Bistriţa
• CSEI Lacrima Bistriţa & Năsăud
• CSEI Nr.1 & Nr. 2 Bistriţa
• CSEI Beclean
• Special High school “Saint Mary” Bistrita
• “Liviu Rebreanu” National College
• “Andrei Muresanu” National College
• Sports High School Bistrita
• Museum Complex Bistrita-Nasaud

Olimpiada Inocentilor Volunteers:

At each edition, we have approximately 200 community volunteers including many students from the local high schools and colleges. Many of these volunteers also help Inocenti in other community programs, such as Inocenti After School Programs and the Inocenti Me & My Family Program.

Olimpiada Inocentilor Events:

• Soccer
• Obstacle courses
• Basketball
• Bowling
• Ping Pong
• Face Painting
• Drawing and Coloring
• Dance
• Arts and Crafts

Sponsor the Olimpiada Inocentilor

2. Donate your birthday to benefit children with special needs. Let us know at office.bucuresti@inocenti.ro and we’ll tell you what’s the next step.
3. Become a volunteer by filling in this form