Asia-Pacific will showcase its largest delegation of athletes in Abu Dhabi in March

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HONG KONG, CHINA -�Media OutReach�-�23 January
2019 - The Local Organizing
Committee (LOC) for Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 today marks the
50 days countdown to the World Games, which take place from March 14 to 21. The
Games will be the largest sports and humanitarian event in the world this year.
�Here are five reasons for fans to watch
the World Games in 50 days:

1.��The
biggest sports and humanitarian event of 2019 --�In
addition to over 10,000 athletes competing in the SO World Games, over 20,000
volunteers signed up and trained to support over 7,500 athletes, as well as their
families and coaches throughout the Games.

2.��The most
unified and inclusive World Games -- There will be more than 190 nations
that will participate, and the Games will welcome an astounding 19 Special
Olympics programs who will compete for the first time. Six (6) of them are from
Asia-Pacific: Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, and
Micronesia.

3.��It's the
first time the Games will be hosted in the Middle East --�The LOC
and the United Arab Emirates are building a legacy of the largest and most
inclusive games in the history, making it an historic Games for it being the
first time in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.�

4.��50 Days to
Celebrate the 50^th Anniversary --�The
Special Olympics has been changing lives and making an impact on communities
around the world for 50 years, and this year the Special Olympics World Games in
Abu Dhabi will mark the start for the next 50 years of the inclusion movement.

5.��The
Asia-Pacific region will compete with its largest delegation -- From 33
various different Special Olympics programs in APAC, 1,310 athletes from across
the region will represent their nations and compete in 24 various sports.
India, Korea, and Australia are the top three countries with the largest
delegations from the region.�

"We
are excited to host Asia-Pacific's largest delegation at a World Games to date,
with over 1,300 athletes from the region coming to the UAE to showcase their
talent on a global stage, " said Tala Al Ramahi, Chief Strategy Officer of
Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. "In 50 days' time, Special
Olympics programs from this region will become part of the most unified Games
ever held. This is going to be a momentous opportunity to shine the spotlight
on these talented individuals and celebrate inclusion."

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For
information on the Special Olympic World Games, please visit https://www.abudhabi2019.org/.�

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