Nagano, Japan, March 1 - The 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games officially began in Nagano, Japan on Saturday, February 26 with the opening ceremonies held at M-Wave, one of the world's largest indoor speed skating rinks and site of the 1998 Olympic Winter Games speed skating competition. The Games will be held from February 26 to March 5, 2005.

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Special Olympics Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver attended the opening ceremonies, welcoming the nearly 1,900 athletes from more than 80 countries participating in the Games.

In the true spirit of the "Let's Celebrate Together" theme, the World Games are bringing together celebrities, heads of state, and leaders in the fields of education, health care, business and sports all in support of Special Olympics, one of the world's largest volunteer-driven organizations. In addition to competition in seven sports, the World Games also features a series of events aimed at transforming communities and the lives of the 170 million people worldwide with intellectual disabilities by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion.

Among the highlights are: a Global Youth Summit, a forum for representative young people with and without intellectual disabilities to interact with their peers across the globe and share ideas for involving youth in the Special Olympics movement; the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes initiative, in which athletes receive free health assessments and services; the Changing Attitudes, Changing the World Education Forum, where the findings of new, cutting-edge research on a variety of issues affecting people with intellectual disabilities - from portrayal in the media to gaps in health care to youth attitudes - will be revealed; and a Celebrity Snowshoe Race.

Traveling from all corners of the world, the athletes are joined by 650 coaches and more than 10,000 volunteers, families and friends as they compete and celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship. Comparable to the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in terms of the number of participating countries and athletes, the 2005 Special Olympics World Games will be three times the size of the Nagano Paralympics Games.

"Just as our Japanese hosts welcomed the world to Nagano in 1998, they graciously now offer their hospitality to the worldwide Special Olympics movement," said Special Olympics Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver. "Their commitment to inspiring people in Japan and throughout the world to open their minds and accept people with intellectual disabilities serves as a shining example of how to change not only attitudes, but also the world."

Special Olympics East Asia has 195 Special Olympics athletes and 14 Unified Sports partners participating in the Games. The East Asia programs in China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea are taking part in Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowshoeing and Speed Skating. 2 Special Olympics East Asia athletes, one each from Special Olympics China and Special Olympics Chinese Taipei, will be among the 14 athletes attending the Global Youth Summit.

For more information about the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games, visit www.2005sowwg.com.

About Special Olympics Unified SportsTM

The Special Olympics Unified SportsTM initiative brings together Special Olympics athletes and individuals without intellectual disabilities who are of similar age and ability to train and compete on the same team. The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without (called Partners) was first introduced in the United States in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion. Today, the initiative includes virtually all Special Olympics sports and Unified Sports competitions are an important part of Special Olympics World Games, as well as local, State and National Games.

About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training and athletic competition and other related programming for more than 1.4 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to participate in Special Olympics. Special Olympics International will host their 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China in October 2007.Visit Special Olympics online at www.specialolympics.org and www.specialolympicseastasia.org

Contact:

Karen Fang

Special Olympics East Asia

Public Relations

Mobile (until March 6): +81-903-537-1626

Mobile (after March 6): +86-1391-002-8297

Email: kfang@specialolympics.org