Let’s Celebrate Together!
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"...we are committed to ensuring that the Games are not merely a transitory event, but an opportunity to promote among the public a better understanding of people with intellectual disabilities, show the world how sports foster barrier-free minds that transcend disabilities and national borders, and work toward the creation of more accepting communities.
For this to happen, it's important that we all act now and get involved.
The key is "Citizen Participation and Interaction." If each and every citizen and company takes action, what begins as a small trickle can turn into a great wave that sweeps through society. Do what you can and get involved in Special Olympics. It's the first step to a more open and accepting society.
Hideaki Yasukawa, Chairman
2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games
Visit the official 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games Web site |
Special Olympics continued its Olympic sports legacy, as Nagano, Japan — site of the 1998 Olympics and Paralympics — hosted 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games 26 February through 5 March 2005. The first Special Olympics World Games held in Asia drew more than 1,800 athletes and 650 coaches from 80 countries around the world, as well as thousands of family members, volunteers, spectators and journalists from every continent.
"Japan's world-class facilities are the ideal venues from which to focus the world's attention on the heroics of Special Olympics athletes from every corner of the globe," said Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics. "The enthusiastic support of the Japanese people, government, and sponsors will create a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our athletes to compete at many of the same arenas as those Olympic greats in 1998."
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Renowned artist Leroy Neiman Neiman, a supporter of Special Olympics, created and donated a signature image to the 2005 World Games. "Words that come to my mind when I think about Special Olympics — Inspiration. Joy. Pride. Exhilaration. Accomplishment. Sportsmanship. Special inner and outer beauty, that you can see no where and feel no where else in the world," said Neiman.
“I’ve sketched probably every leading amateur and professional athlete in the last 40-50 years. Nothing is quite of the drama and beauty that this competition is.” |
In Nagano, the first city in the world to host the Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics World Games, athletes competed in Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding and speed skating. In addition to inspiring competition, the World Games offered a variety of educational and social events (see links above).
"The 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be a flagship event of the Special Olympics movement in Japan and in Asia," said Kayoko Hosokawa, Chairperson of Special Olympics Nippon and the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games Organizing Committee. "It certainly will create a legacy that will provide greater awareness of the Special Olympics movement in the region and more sports opportunities for athletes world-wide than ever before."
One way the World Games organizers increased awareness is through the Host Town Program. More than 70 host towns throughout the Nagano Prefecture and beyond welcomed Special Olympics delegations from 80 countries in late February 2005. For four days before the Games began, the program provided an introduction to Japan for the athletes, and also helped the people of Japan learn more about people with intellectual disabilities and transform differences into shared experiences.
Contact Information:
2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games Games Organizing Committee
Wakasato Bunka Hall
1F 3-22-2 Wakasato
Nagano-shi, Nagano 380-0928 Japan
+81 026 227 2005
goc.nagano@2005sowwg.com
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