Secretary Spellings Leads Presidential Delegation to Shanghai, China, for Special Olympics World Summer Games

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will lead a presidential delegation to the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, on Oct. 2, 2007, and participate in a Global Policy Summit on the Well-Being of People with Intellectual Disabilities.

“I’m honored to join this distinguished group in representing the United States at the Special Olympics in China, and I’d like to thank the People’s Republic of China and its citizens for hosting the games,” said Secretary Spellings. “Special Olympics has always focused on people’s abilities, not their disabilities. They’ve worked to make sure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities that every individual deserves. I look forward to engaging policymakers from around the world on how we can further that worthwhile goal.”

The Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai (Oct. 2-11) will be the world’s largest single sporting event in 2007 with nearly 7,500 athletes from more than 160 countries competing. Special Olympics programs serve more than 2.25 million people with disabilities. In addition to sports competitions and training, the Special Olympics offers health screening, elementary to secondary school curricula, family support services and related programs.

The Global Policy Summit on the Well-Being of People with Intellectual Disabilities will highlight best policies and practices that improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and ways to partner with Special Olympics to enhance their education, health and economic opportunities.

Joining Spellings as members of the presidential delegation are:

Clark T. Randt, U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China;
John H. Hager, former assistant secretary of education for special education and rehabilitative services;
Ernie Banks, member, National Baseball Hall of Fame;
Lynn Fuchs, professor of special education and human development, Vanderbilt University;
Michelle Kwan, figure skating champion and American public diplomacy envoy;
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder, Special Olympics;
Timothy P. Shriver, chairman of the board, Special Olympics;
Anne Sweeney, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks; president, Disney-ABC Television Group; and board member, Special Olympics;
Jennifer Polk Wardlow, international global messenger, Special Olympics.