Some 7,000 athletes are competing in the October 2-11 Special Olympics Summer Games in Shanghai and about 40,000 volunteers have been motivated to serve the athletes.

 

"The Special Olympics gives me a brand-new perspective to look at elsewhere, a chance to care about others," said Zhu Jun, a journalism student in Fudan University.

 

Seth Moser-Katz, an American student from University of North Carolina, came to the Games as a volunteer, admitted that he had changed a lot in his life because of the athletes and the Games.

 

"Many may question why anyone would bother to travel more than 10,000 kilometers across the world to work on such a project that no one is getting paid for."

 

"But I found the answer to this question when I saw them play soccer; these games mean the world to them. They have been preparing and training for years. When they win a game their triumph is real."

 

As posters and advertisements spring up Shanghai streets and the mascot "Sunshine Baby" (San Mao) beams over at passers-by, the minority group of intellectual disabled has come into spotlight in Shanghai.

 

A survey has shown 92 percent of Shanghai residents are aware of the Games.

 

"The Shanghai residents have become more concerned with the intellectual disabled people because of the Special Olympics, and the city has become more warm-hearted," taxi driver Zhang Weiyu said.

 

During the 10-day Games, activities like "Global Summit for Health and Welfare of People with Intellectual Disabilities", "Global Youth Summit" and "Global Family Forum" were also held to discuss problems about the special group.

 

The excitement and awareness raised by the 2007 World Games will endure long after the closing ceremony, resulting in long-term change and creating solutions that bring people with intellectual disabilities into the mainstream of community life.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2007)