Echo Hu/ Shanghai Daily news
City mayor Han Zheng met the president of the International Special Olympic
Games, Timothy Shriver, on May 24 at the Jin Jiang Hotel.
Han told his guest that preparations for the 2007 Special Olympics World
Summer Games were running smoothly under the eye of the Chinese government.
He noted that the mascot "Sunny Sanmao" for the games has been unveiled, and
the renovation of the sports venues, recruitment and training of volunteers,
plans for torch relay and promotion of the games were now underway.
Han said that through hosting the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games,
Shanghai would create a sound environment for the caring of handicapped people
in society. He also expressed the city's confidence of holding a successful
Special Olympic Games.
Shriver expressed his appreciation of the efforts made and the progress
achieved in ShanghaiĦħs hosting of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
He said that Shanghai would convey two messages to the world through playing
host to the Games. The first was that Shanghai was able to hold a wonderful
Special Olympic games and the second that Shanghai was now at the forefront of
the world Special Olympic Games movement.
Scheduled to run from October 2 to 11, the 2007, it is the first time the
event will be held in Asia. The games will have 21 medal events, four
performances and at least 10 forums and other sessions.
More than 7,000 athletes from 164 countries and regions are expected to
participate, the most in the history of games.
