Jena receives certificate of appointment as host town of the Special Olympics World Games

It's the most inclusive summer fairytale ever. The Special Olympics World Games, the world's largest sporting event for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities, will take place in Berlin from June 17 to 25, 2023. However, the Games go far beyond the sporting arena and will also be brought into society in Jena.

Over four days, from June 12 to 15, 2023, various host towns will play host to the athletes and their families before the start of the competitions in Berlin. The delegations will get to know regional characteristics and have the opportunity to interact with the local population. Inclusion thus becomes an inspiration. Jena was selected as the host town for the Latvian delegations.

Regular exchange between the host towns

Host towns from Thuringia meet regularly with the Special Olympics regional association to discuss current tasks and issues. Most recently at the end of September in Altenburg. The certificate of appointment as a host town was also presented there. Sports representative Vanessa Baum presented the certificate to Lord Mayor Thomas Nitzsche and sports department head Benjamin Koppe.

The municipalities are currently in the middle of planning for the four days in June 2023. Transport, accommodation, supporting program, meeting offers. All of this is primarily being provided and organized by the municipalities themselves. In almost every municipality, however, clubs are also closely involved in the project. After all, something should be left behind after the World Games. Like all designated municipalities, Jena is also committed to inclusion.

One example of this is the Open Jena Games for the Disabled in the Oberaue on June 29, 2022, where almost 300 participants from Thuringian schools and workshops came to Jena with their approximately 100 supervisors and competed against each other in sporting competitions.

Die Ernennungsurkunde wird präsentiert

© Stadt Jena / Kristian Philler