Chemnitz welcomes participants in the Special Olympics
Delegation comes to the city for four days in June 2023
The city of Chemnitz will welcome an international delegation in June 2023, whose members will then take part in the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin. An expected 50 to 60 athletes and coaches will spend four days getting to know the city and its people before travelling on to Berlin. The aim is to promote a new sense of togetherness and create space for encounters far beyond the actual event, which will take place in Berlin from 17 to 25 June 2023.
"This is a good opportunity for Chemnitz to present itself: as a city of sport, as a host city, as a city of inclusion," says Petra Liebetrau, Disability Officer for the City of Chemnitz. "We can show what we have to offer - especially in preparation for the European Capital of Culture year - and perhaps also identify barriers that still need to be broken down." In addition to Petra Liebetrau and Kerstin Stopp, the award-winning sports specialist for people with intellectual disabilities from the Chemnitz association Integration durch Sport e. V., the sports office and the city council were also present, the sports office and the city sports association were also involved in the application. This was submitted on time by the end of October last year.
The Special Olympics is the world's largest sporting event for people with intellectual disabilities and people with multiple disabilities. The competition is primarily attended by amateur athletes, while the Paralympics mainly invite competitive athletes to compete. The Special Olympics World Games take place every four years as summer or winter games. In 2023, 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches are expected in Berlin alone.
A total of 216 municipalities throughout Germany were awarded the contract to host the Games. In addition to Chemnitz, Wurzen, Dresden, Leipzig and Auerbach im Vogtland will be the host cities in Saxony.
In Chemnitz, the participants will spend the night in the youth hostel at Getreidemarkt and experience a varied programme of sporting competitions, encounters and cultural activities. Clubs, schools and workshops in the city will be involved in the programme.
The country from which the sports delegation will come to Chemnitz in summer 2023 will be announced in May.