POSTED: October 2nd 2011
SpeakingUp
PyeongChang 2013 Special Olympics will raise the bar for the winter Games
NIKKI WICKS / Sports Features Communications
LONDON/PYEONGCHANG: The 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games can be a “turning point” in transforming Korean attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities, says the chair of the organizing committee.
Speaking exclusively to SportFeatures.com, the 2013 Pyeongchang Special Olympic Winter Games organizing committee chairwoman, Kyung-Won Na also said that the Korean City would host a Games that “raises the bar” for Special Olympics.
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Since Pyeongchang was selected as the third Asian city to host the Special Olympics in September last year, the South Korean City has also been awarded the rights to host the full Winter Olympic Games in 2018.
“Special Olympics itself has a low recognition among the Korean public, and some of them confuse the Special Olympics with Paralympics,” Na told SportsFeatures.com.
“Therefore, we are putting our efforts to raise awareness and try to have as many people as possible to participate in the Games.
“We believe that our 2013 Special Olympics can be a turning point for Korean society to accept people with intellectual disabilities, and promote inclusion and dignity of those with intellectual disabilities,” she added.
Na also noted that the “2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics supporting act” which functions as the foundation for the South Korean government's administrative & financial support for the Games has been enacted on July 14th, 2011.
Prior to the 2013 Games, the organizing committee will host a “Pre-Games” during February 21 – 27, 2012 in order to test a number of the functions for the event.
“Through the Pre-Games we will test functions which are required to hold a successful 2013 Games, and prepare it to be a World Games that raises the bar for Special Olympics,” said Na.
Despite a number of the facilities for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games yet to be built, Na said that the 2013 Special Olympics would showcase it’s facilities including the Alpensia Resort and Alpensia ski jump stadium.
Some 2,500 athletes from 105 countries are set to participate in the 13-day competition in 2013, which will take place from Jan 26 to Feb 6. Athletes will compete in a number of events including alpine skiing, cross-country, snowboarding, and figure skating.
To help athletes prepare for the Games, the organizing committee will invite athletes from each country to participate in the “Host Town” program.
Before the start of the event, athletes will stay in Korean local communities nationwide and experience Korean culture, food and be given chance to adapt to the climate and environment of Korea.
As part of its initiative to promote social acceptance in Korea of intellectual disabilities, the organize committee is working with the Ministry of Education to develop education materials be distributed in schools.
The School Enrichment Program (SEP) will be distributed to Korean elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide to enhance awareness of the people with intellectual disabilities, and also to promote Special Olympics movement.
Commenting on the two initiatives, Na said: “Host Town Program and School Enrichment Program, both are very important programs for the Games to promote understanding of the people with intellectual disabilities in Korean society.”
Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to more nearly 3.5 million athletes in over 170 countries in all regions of the world, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programs.
Keywords · Special Olympics · Kwang-Won Na · PyeongChang 2013 · Yu Na Kim · PyeongChang 2018
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