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Mary Davis (''née'' Rooney; born 6 August 1954) is an Irish social entrepreneur and long-term campaigner for the rights and inclusion of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. She is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics International. She is also the managing director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE) with the responsibility of overseeing the growth and development of Special Olympics across 58 countries in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.〔Mark Paul,(), "Games Chief Goes for Gold", Sunday Business Post, 28 February 2010〕 Davis also serves as Chairperson of Special Olympics Ireland. She is well known for serving as CEO of 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Dublin, Ireland. This was the first time the event was staged outside of North America since Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the movement in 1968 and the largest sporting event in the world that year. Davis was awarded a Person of the Year Award in 2003, for her work for this event as well as for her years of service with Special Olympics Ireland. In November 2004 Davis was appointed by President Mary McAleese to serve on the Irish Council of State. In 2006 Davis was made chairperson of the newly created Taskforce on Active Citizenship.〔(Taskforce ON citizenship )〕 She also co-chairs the North South Consultative Conference for the Irish government. Davis was a candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election having received the required nominations from thirteen county councils.〔Terry Prone,(), "With Mary on for the Aras the contest really hots up", Irish Examiner, 26 May 2011〕 In a number of media columns and speeches, Davis has expressed how as President of Ireland she can represent Ireland on an international stage, promote communities and community development, and support the values of fairness, equality and respect. She came last in the election receiving 48,657 (2.7%) first preference votes. ==Early life== Mary Rooney grew up in Kinaffe, Swinford, County Mayo, and attended St Louis Convent School, Kiltimagh. She claimed that the seeds of her success were sown in her upbringing in East Mayo saying "there was always a prevailing attitude of looking after your neighbour, of taking care of each other".〔Olof Gill, (), "Leading Lady", Mayo News, Wednesday, 27 April 2006〕 After finishing secondary school, Davis trained as a Physical Education teacher from Leeds Trinity University, United Kingdom, a women's teacher training college affiliated to the University of Leeds. From there she won a scholarship to the University of Alberta where she completed her academic studies. After returning to Ireland, she became PE co-ordinator with St Michael's House in Ballymun, Dublin, an organisation catering for people with intellectual disabilities. It was then that she first volunteered for Special Olympics Ireland. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mary Davis (activist)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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