JOANNA DESPOTOPOULOU National Director of the Special Olympics Hellas

n 2005, the ‘Flame of Hope’ will be lit in a ceremony in Athens and carried to Nagano, Japan for the opening ceremonies of the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

Earlier this year, a torch run through Rhodes launched a week-long Special Olympics Education Through Sports Festival, in which athletes with mental handicaps from around 50 countries took part.

The Special Olympics was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1988. Worldwide, almost one million athletes—children and adults— and 500,000 volunteers participate in Special Olympics events.

Today, Greece is one of more than 170 countries with a Special Olympics program. Around 6,500 athletes, trained by 800 volunteer teachers, participate in Special Olympics events in Greece, which are held on alternate years.

The international Special Olympics organization is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive, and respected members of society through sports training and competition.

Athletes are offered year-round training and competition in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. The Special Olympics World Games are held once every four years. In 2003, the Special Olympics World Summer Games was held in Dublin, Ireland.

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, President John F. Kennedy’s sister. The organization began in the United States and then expanded all over the world.

“What counts is participation, and this way they can participate in the everyday activities of our society,” explains Joanna Despotopoulou, National Director of Special Olympics Hellas and President of the festival’s Organizing Committee.

“With our program families participate in the efforts of their children, and they are happy and proud of what their children can achieve,” she says.

Mrs. Despotopoulos reinforces the importance of social awareness in her role as General Secretary for Social Solidarity at the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity, favoring collaboration between the public and private sector in the promotion of equal opportunies.