Special Olympics athletes and police officers from across America to carry the torch to stops throughout the Nation's Capital

Special Olympics athletes and police officers from across America to carry the torch to stops throughout the Nation's Capital

July 24, 2007

    WASHINGTON, July 24 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --

    What:       The Flame of Hope(TM) for the 2007 Special
Olympics World
                Summer Games will make its only U.S. visit
to Washington, DC,
                where the flame will light the torch that
will be carried in
                the global Law Enforcement Torch Run(R) --
a signature event
                honoring the Special Olympics movement.
Following a ceremony
                at the White House hosted by President and
Mrs. Bush, the
                torch will be carried to stops throughout
the city before
                continuing its global journey to the 2007
World Summer Games
                Opening Ceremony in Shanghai on 2 October. 
Involving hundreds
                of runners and spectators, this promises to
be one of the most
                inspiring and visually interesting events
of the summer,
                taking place on the anniversary of the
Americans with
                Disabilities Act, signed into law by
President George H.W.
                Bush in 1990.

    (Logo: 
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040302/LNTU017LOGO )

    When:       Thursday, July 26, 2007

    Where:      The running of the Flame of Hope will begin
at 12:15 p.m.
                Photo opportunities for the day include
(times approximate):

      9:30 a.m.  Law Enforcement Torch Run Breakfast
Reception (Hay Adams
                 Hotel, 16th and H Streets NW) Speakers to
include Special
                 Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver and other
dignitaries.
      11:45 a.m. White House Ceremony
                 ***Credentialed media interested in
attending the White House
                 ceremony must contact the White House
Office of Media Affairs
                 at 202-456-6238.***
      12:15 p.m. Runners Depart from South Lawn of White
House to National
                 Mall
      12:40 p.m. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services
                 (200 Independence Ave. SW)
      12:55 p.m. Photo opportunity at U.S. Capitol (Capitol
Reflecting Pool
                 Park)
      1:20 p.m.  Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
                 (Judiciary Square, 5th and F Streets NW)
      2:00 p.m.  Torch Run concludes at the Embassy of the
People's Republic
                 of China.   Welcome Ceremony and Reception
to follow.
                 (2300 Connecticut Avenue N.W.)
                 ***For invitations, please contact Wei
Xin, Press Office for
                 the Chinese Embassy at +1 (202)
328-2577.***

    Background: With the logistical support of DHL, the
Global Partner of the
                Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run
for the 2007
                Special Olympics World Summer Games, the
Flame of Hope was lit
                June 29 at the Acropolis in Athens using
only the rays of the
                sun, and then departed Greece to begin a
22,000 mile journey
                across five continents. Carried by members
of the global law
                enforcement community and Special Olympics
athletes, more than
                5,000 people around the world will
participate in this
                celebration of the Special Olympics
movement and the courage
                of its athletes.

                After departing Washington, DC, the Flame
of Hope will travel
                to Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney, Beijing, Hong Kong
and Macau. The Law
                Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics
is a pivotal event
                in the lead up to the 2007 Special Olympics
World Summer
                Games.

                Video b-roll will be made available via
satellite with
                coordinates provided later this week.


    For more information, please contact:

     Sarah Cody 
     Special Olympics International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Christie Parell 
     the White House
     Tel:   [phone]