Abilympics Helsinki 2027

Skills Finland will host a unique major event in Helsinki Messukeskus in May 2027 when the Abilympics vocational skills competition for people with special needs is held concurrently with the Taitaja2027 national skills competition.

The three-day Abilympics competition will be held together with the Taitaja national skills competition at Messukeskus in Helsinki in the first week of May in 2027. The Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition will be organised in collaboration between Skills Finland and providers of vocational education and training, particularly the Ameo network of vocational special education institutions.

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 concurrent organisation of the Abilympics and Taitaja competitions provides a great opportunity for collaboration between vocational special education institutions and other vocational institutions. Holding the events at the same time will also bring cost-benefits and help take sustainable development better into account in the organisation of both events.

The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture supports the organisation of vocational skills competitions and the Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition.

About the international Abilympics competition

The Abilympics competition for professionals with special needs is held every four years. There is no age limit for the competition. Finland participated in the Abilympics competition for the first time in Japan in 2007.

Finland’s goal in the International Abilympics is the development of excellence in vocational special needs education skills and the strengthening of internationalisation. Skills Finland’s official representative in the IAF and its board is Petteri Ora from the Kiipula Foundation.
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.

In October 2023, the member states of the International Abilympic Federation appointed Skills Finland as the organiser of the Abilympics 2027 competition.

More information