There are many sports events that people can call world festivals. Korea hoped to host the Winter Olympics for a long time, and finally we got a chance to host it in 2018. We are looking forward to watching this worldwide sports festival in Korea. This winter, before the Olympics, we can enjoy winter sports in Pyeongchang. In 2013, the Pyeongchang Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Korea. The games will start on January 29.
Many people wonder what the Special Olympics World Games are and mix up the Paralympics and the Special Olympics World Games. The Special Olympics World Games and the Paralympics are both sports festivals for disabled people, but each is different. In the Paralympics, the games are designed for physically disabled people. In contrast, the Special Olympics are for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
The Special Olympics World Games were started by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a sister of President John F. Kennedy. She held a camp for people with intellectual disabilities. She realized intellectually disabled people have talent in sport, and she designed Special Olympics to help them. In 1968, the first Special Olympics were held in Soldier Field in Chicago. Since then, the Special Olympics have been held once every two years, and they hold the Summer Games and the Winter Games by turn. The Special Olympics which will be held in Pyeongchang are the tenth winter games. This is the third time the games have been held in Asia. Beijing held the Summer Games in 2007, and Japan held the Winter Games in 2005.
There are 7 sports events. These are alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snow boarding, snow shoeing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey. Most of the sports are similar to the usual one, but floor hockey is played on a floor which is made of wood or urethane. Players from the Middle East and Africa also participate in this game. In addition, there is a demonstration sport in this winter games. The most important goal of Special Olympics is giving intellectually disabled people social opportunities to become members of our society. From this goal, we can easily get the slogan of this event, “Be a Fan.” With this slogan, we can consider disabled people are not different.
The Special Olympics World Games are not only a sports event for people with intellectual disabilities but for everyone. In these games, there are some activities for both intellectually disabled people and non-disabled people. They have conferences and festivals. Through these activities and games, we can think intellectually disabled people are not different but the same as us. Also, we can be close to them in this meaningful event.
