The flame of 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics arrived Monday
morning in Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria, about 220 km
northwest of the Egyptian capital of Cairo.
Torch relay ceremonies were held at several spots in the
northern Egyptian port city in the morning after the flame was
received in front of the Library of Alexandria.
After receiving the flame box delivered from Greece, where the
flame was collected, two athletes of special Olympics, Wang
Shoudong from China and Hamid Mohamed Saym from Egypt, ignited the
torch at the Library of Alexandria and carried it to the dock in
front of the library.
Leading the torch relay team, the two athletes carried the torch
onto an Egyptian navy warship and headed for the ancient Citadel of
Qaitbay at the other side of the Alexandria bay, where a welcoming
ceremony was held.
At the ancient castle, managing director of the Special Olympics
Middle East and North Africa office Ayman Aly Wahab told Xinhua
that this event is a very good public activity for the disabled
people and the exchange of different cultures.
Calling Alexandria an ancient city with great cultural
heritages, Chinese Consul General in Alexandria Zhan Dingbao said
the arrival of the Special Olympics flame and the torch relay here
is the exchange of Chinese culture and Egyptian one, wishing the
flame of hope will bring bright future for the disabled people and
the Special Olympics.
After the flame was collected in Greece and the torch was first
ignited there on June 29, Egypt is the first stop of the torch
relay tour of the 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games, which
was scheduled to be held in the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai
for Oct. 2-11.
In the afternoon, the torch will be carried to Cairo, where a
welcome ceremony is to be held at the site of Giza Pyramids with
participation of Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and Egyptian
policemen will attend the Law Enforcement Torch Run.
After the Law Enforcement Torch Run in Egypt, the Special
Olympics flame will be delivered to England, the next stop of the
torch relay tour around the world.
More than 10,000 athletes and coaches, 20,000 family members
from more than 160 countries and regions are expected to show up at
the Shanghai Games.
(Xinhua News Agency July 3, 2007)