The 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games ended in Shanghai a
week ago, but its rich legacy will last for many years to come.
It is a legacy of love and caring as 40,000 volunteers and more
than 100,000 community workers, family members and hotel staff in
the city served wholeheartedly for delegations from more than 160
countries and regions during the two-week event.
It is a legacy of the dignity and spirit displayed by the
athletes as they ran to the finish line and exhibited superb
gymnastic skills well beyond the ability of most people. Few people
in China had the opportunity to understand this special group of
people before these games.
More importantly, the Special Olympics has helped rekindle hope
for mentally challenged people - 10 million in China and 170
million globally - and their families. In the past, their lives
were often shadowed by disabilities and they were very much
neglected by society as a whole.
The Special Olympics would not have succeeded without the
selfless dedication of the volunteers.
Many of these volunteers spent their valuable time during the
National Day holiday week traveling across the city, working
12-hours day and caring for the athletes. On average, there were
four volunteers taking care of one athlete.
If you still bemoan the lack of volunteerism in China, you
should probably think again. The nascent volunteer movement is
growing rapidly, at least in Shanghai.
College students, who made up 70 percent of the Special Olympics
volunteers, deserve our praise.
Born in the 1980s, they are often accused of being a spoiled,
immature and self-centered generation, lacking team spirit and
collapsing easily under pressure.
But these allegations are groundless based on the many moving
stories about volunteers and the praise they received from Special
Olympics officials, coaches, athletes and their families.
The tears in the eyes of many volunteers when athletes departed
to their home countries after the games was also proof of the
special bonds built during the short period.
Many volunteers feel that their hard work is truly worthwhile.
They treasure the experience because it helps them grow to be more
responsible members of the society.
In fact, that kind of gratitude is owed by society as a whole.
The Special Olympics has given everyone a rare education in love
and care as well as the Special Olympics' spirit of equality,
acceptance and tolerance.
Shanghai was immersed in a mood of warmth, love and care during
those two weeks.
China, with its 1,200-member delegation, the largest at the
games, bagged more gold medals than any other country. But the
Special Olympics is probably the only sporting event in the world
where breaking world records and winning gold medals is secondary
to participation. It is an event about demonstrating a spirit of
courage, sharing, skill and joy.
In the Special Olympics, every athlete is a winner. Their
strength and perseverance deserves the audience's loudest
cheers.
A great many more moving stories came from these athletes, who
have displayed the strongest and most touching spirit of
mankind.
This spirit will surely empower millions of mentally challenged
people in China and the world to be strong and upbeat throughout
their lives. This spirit will also teach people to show more
respect and care to this underprivileged group.
The Special Olympics have also provided Shanghainese with a
chance to present their new look, after a 16 year economic
boom.
Long known for regarding non-locals as country bumpkins,
Shanghainese resurrected their image by showing the world that they
are caring and accepting, opening their arms to embrace people from
all over the world.
The 2007 Special Olympics was truly a great success. It
accomplished feats impossible in other sporting events. It
certainly deserved that fantastic opening ceremony.
Many people have become deeply disappointed in the lack of
spirit of love and care in many parts of today's society, as the
country has been focused on becoming rich in the last three
decades.
If the Special Olympics can serve as a wake up call for the
return of this spirit, it is at least as important as the upcoming
2008 Beijing Olympics.
(China Daily October 20, 2007)