What is Abilympics?

Person using a sewing machine at a workshop or event, surrounded by floral fabric and sewing tools.

The Abilympics competition for professionals with special needs is held every four years. There is no age limit for the competition. Abilympics helps raise awareness of the right of professionals in need of special support to find employment and showcases the competence they have to offer to meet the needs of the world of work.

The previous competition was held in Metz, France 24–25 March 2023. Approximately 400 competitors from 27 countries participated in the event. The competition had 44 skill categories, and Team Finland participated in nine of them. Finland won five medals in the competition: one gold and four silver.

Finland participated in the Abilympics competition for the first time in Japan in 2007. Finland’s goal in participating in the International Abilympics is the development of vocational special needs education (SNE) in Finland as well as gaining international networks in the field of vocational SNE. Skills Finland’s official representative in the International Abilympic Federation (IAF) and its board is Petteri Ora from the Kiipula Foundation. 

In October 2023, the Members of the IAF appointed Skills Finland as the organiser of the Abilympics 2027 competition. 

In co-operation

  • Skills Finland logo
  • Ministry of Education and Culture Finland logo.
  • Finnish National Agency for Education logo.