Group photo

September 3rd, 2009 is an unforgettable day for the intellectually disabled students in Beijing Tongzhou Special School, when they welcomed guests from UBS AG, a leading international financial institution that has been supporting the school to promote Special Olympics sports through the Special Olympics “Adopt-a-school” program. What makes the students more excited is, there is another very special guest—famous movie star Zhang Ziyi, who presents at the sports equipment donation and unified sports events of UBS and the school as Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.

Zhang Ziyi and Mr. David Li with SO athlete

Mr. David Li, Chairman of UBS China, Mr. Simon Jin, President of UBS Beijing Branch, Ms. Anna Chan, Managing Director of SOEA, Ms. Zhang Weidong, Headmaster of Tong Zhou Special School with Zhang Ziyi and SO Athletes

After the brief donation ceremony, Mr. David Li, Chairman of UBS China, Mr. Simon Jin, Head of UBS Beijing Branch, Ms. Zhang Ziyi and Ms. Anna Chan, Managing Director of Special Olympics East Asia, joined with Special Olympics athletes from the school in a unified bocce competition as well as football training session. Although it is not a formal competition, the guests and athletes are fully engaged and the playground is filled with cheers and applauses.

Zhang Ziyi played bocce with SO athletes

Applauds for the wonderful football skill

Group photo

Mr. David Li comments, “Special Olympics is a long-term partner of UBS China. In the last three years, we’ve been actively involved in Special Olympics “Adopt-a-school” program, supporting special schools to organize more Special Olympics activities. Our staff and families have regularly participated into unified sports activities together with the students, kept good communications with the athletes, and shared with them the fun of sports.” He said UBS China would like to continue its cooperation with Special Olympics by supporting SO programs including Special Olympics “Adopt-a-school” Program and Special Olympic University Program.

Ms. Zhang says she is very happy to join the event as Special Olympics Global Ambassador. She believed that these lovely children deserve more care and attention from the society. “I really enjoy participating in such activities with these lovely children,” says Zhang, “and I would like to attend more such activities in the future.”

Ms. Anna Chan expressed gratitude on behalf of SOEA for the attendance of Ms. Zhang Ziyi and guests from UBS. She comments, “without continuous support from our sponsors and celebrities like Ziyi, Special Olympics cannot have made such great progress in China.”

Special Olympics Adopt-A-School program is a successful program organized by Special Olympics East Asia and Special Olympics China as a means for local corporations, organizations or individuals to directly support the development of Special Olympics programs in local special schools/special organizations around China, and so to enhance Special Olympics activities at schools and in the communities.