2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games


The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games were a special olympics multi-sport event for athletes with intellectual disabilities in the tradition of the Special Olympics movement. It was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from March 14–21, 2019. ESPN offered international coverage of the games.
The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games was the first Special Olympics games to take place in the Middle East and the largest sports and humanitarian event recorded, featuring 200 nations, more than 7,000 athletes and 20,000 registered volunteers. Since 2017 and following its national policy, the United Arab Emirates coined the term "determination" instead of "disability", referring to disabled people as "People of Determination".

Host selection

Three finalists were chosen from the countries which had submitted bids to host the games: Australia, Germany, and South Africa. However, all three countries had withdrawn their bids by April 2015.
In November 2016 it was announced that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi would host the 2019 summer games. This was the first time that the Special Olympics were to be held in the Middle East / North Africa Region. Due to the region's climate, the games were held during the local late winter/early spring season, from March 14–21, 2019.

Opening Ceremony

It was held at Zayed Sports City Stadium which also held the FIFA Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018 and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.The headliners of the ceremonies included Avril Lavigne, Hussain Al Jassmi, Assala Nasri, Tamer Hosny, Paul Oakenfold, Sumi Jo, Now United, and Luis Fonsi.

Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony took place on 21 March 2019 at the Zayed Sports City Stadium where the Special Olympics flag was handed over from Abu Dhabi to Jämtland County, Sweden as the hosts of the 2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games. The headliners of the ceremonies were Nicole Scherzinger, Keala Settle, Now United, Hamad Al Ameri, Rashed Al Majed and Waleed Al Shami.Before the ceremonies the music video of the game's theme song "Right Where I'm Supposed To Be" by Ryan Tedder, Avril Lavigne, Luis Fonsi, Hussain Al Jassmi, Assala Nasri and Tamer Hosny was premiered.

Venues

Events were held at nine venues across two emirates:

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club
Al Forsan Resort
Corniche
Yas Links Golf Club
Yas Marina Circuit
Zayed Sports City

Dubai

Dubai Police Club Stadium
Hamdan Sports Complex

Participating nations

Marketing

Logo and branding

The logo was unveiled on March 25, 2017 during the handover at the closing ceremony of the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Graz, Austria. The logo was projected on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The logo was inspired by palm fronds woven together in an eastern Arabian cultural technique known in Gulf Arabic as khoos, with the Special Olympics symbol in a red circle in the middle.

Sponsors

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Presenting Partner