Special Olympics Nippon (Japan) athlete Tatsuya Kanzaki lights the cauldron at Opening Ceremonies for the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. [Photo by Yo Nagaya/PHOTO KISHIMOTO] Since the first Special Olympics World Games were held in Chicago, Illinois, USA in July 1968, [view list of all Special Olympics World Games] the event has grown to become one of the world's leading athletic events. Every two years, thousands of Special Olympics athletes from around the world come together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the spirit of Special Olympics. Alternating between Summer and Winter Games, the Special Olympics World Games is a world-class sporting event featuring intense competition and inspiring performances by the great athletes of Special Olympics. Upcoming World Games 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games 7-13 February 2009 Boise, Idaho (USA) 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games 24 June-3 July 2011 (tentative) Athens, Greece Recent World Games 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games 2-11 October 2007 Shanghai, China View complete delegation information and competition results from the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games. "...Special Olympics athletes deliver. They deliver in their competitions; they deliver with humor; they deliver with appreciation; they deliver with laughter; and their families deliver with pride. These are the reasons Special Olympics World Games can and do change not only individual lives, but change political and societal views and conceptions of people with [intellectual disabilities]...Special Olympics is one 'issue' any local or national government can and will support once they have the unique experience of hosting a World Games and learning more about these athletes. I say this emphatically because it has happened after every World Games in our history. It always happens."           —Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics Founder, 1997 Spirit magazine interview Contact Information Ase Torheim, Senior Director, World Games atorheim@specialolympics.org Jon-Paul St. Germain, Director, World Games Operations +1 (202) 628-3630, jon-paul@specialolympics.org • View list of all previous Special Olympics World Games