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Special Olympics torch makes US stop in Washington
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-26 09:30
WASHINGTON - The Flame of Hope for the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympic 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, according to a press release reaching here Wednesday from Special Olympics.
The Washington stop will cover about 12.4 kilometers and more than 200 Special Olympic athletes and law enforcement officials from the United States and China will attend.
Following a ceremony at the White House hosted by President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush, the torch will be carried to pass through a string of landmark sites in the US Capital before stopping at the Chinese Embassy, where a special welcoming ceremony is to be held. Then the Flame of Hope will continue its global journey to the 2007 World Summer Games Opening Ceremony in Shanghai on 2 October.
The US trip is especially meaningful as the Flame of Hope visited the headquarters of Special Olympics International on Tuesday, a day before the torch run.
On June 29, the flame was lit near the Acropolis in Athens using the rays of the Sun, and then began a 35,200 kilometers journey across five continents to pass on the spirit and friendship of athletes and raise public attention and respect for individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities.
The "Flying Dragon" torch has already passed through Egypt and Britain. After the US stop, the flame will head to South Korea, Japan and Australia before returning to China in September.
The 2007 Special Olympic Summer Games will run from October 2 to 11 in Shanghai, which will host more than 10,000 athletes and coaches from 163 nations and regions. More than 40,000 volunteers have signed up to help the event run smoothly.
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