The flame of 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics arrived yesterday morning in
Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria, about 220 km northwest of the Egyptian
capital of Cairo.
Torch relay ceremonies were held at several spots in the northern Egyptian
port city in the morning after the flame was received in front of the Library of
Alexandria.
After receiving the flame box delivered from Greece, where the flame was
collected, two athletes of special Olympics, Wang Shoudong from China and Hamid
Mohamed Saym from Egypt, ignited the torch at the Library of Alexandria and
carried it to the dock in front of the library.
Leading the torch relay team, the two athletes carried the torch onto an
Egyptian navy warship and headed for the ancient Citadel of Qaitbay at the other
side of the Alexandria bay, where a welcoming ceremony was held.
At the ancient castle, managing director of the Special Olympics Middle East
and North Africa office Ayman Aly Wahab told Xinhua that this event is a very
good public activity for the disabled people and the exchange of different
cultures.
Calling Alexandria an ancient city with great cultural heritages, Chinese
Consul General in Alexandria Zhan Dingbao said the arrival of the Special
Olympics flame and the torch relay here is the exchange of Chinese culture and
Egyptian one, wishing the flame of hope will bring bright future for the
disabled people and the Special Olympics.
After the flame was collected in Greece and the torch was first ignited there
on June 29, Egypt is the first stop of the torch relay tour of the 12th Special
Olympics World Summer Games, which was scheduled to be held in the eastern
Chinese city of Shanghai for Oct. 2-11.
In the afternoon, the torch will be carried to Cairo, where a welcome
ceremony is to be held at the site of Giza Pyramids with participation of
Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and Egyptian policemen will attend the Law
Enforcement Torch Run.
After the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Egypt, the Special Olympics flame will
be delivered to England, the next stop of the torch relay tour around the world.
More than 10,000 athletes and coaches, 20,000 family members from more than
160 countries and regions are expected to show up at the Shanghai Games.
