The Special Olympics Flame of Hope™ was lit in a ceremony at the historic Zappeion Megaron in Athens, Greece, on 25 February. This marks the beginning of its journey to the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, set to take place between 8 and 15 March.
Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, President of the Piedmont Region Alberto Cirio, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President David Evangelista, Special Olympics Hellas President Dionyssios Kodellas Ambassador ad.h., and Turin 2025 President Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo were in attendance.
Lit by High Priestess and Special Olympics Hellas athlete Ilianna Simeonidi, the flame will now travel to Italy, where it will be the focal point of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR®) Final Leg. From 1 – 8 March, the torch will pass through several Italian cities before arriving in Turin for the Opening Ceremony at the Inalpi Arena on 8 March.
Turin 2025 will bring together 1,500 athletes from 102 delegations, competing across eight winter sports: alpine skiing, cross country skiing, DanceSport, figure skating, floorball, short track speed skating, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
“The Flame of Hope represents far more than simply the exciting World Winter Games ahead. It symbolizes the dedication of every Special Olympics athlete. It signifies the commitment of every coach. It encapsulates the dreams of every parent, every family. It illustrates the hard work of so many volunteers around the world.”
“But, most of all, it embodies the very best of the human spirit—a spirit that rests in each of us, a spirit that calls out the strongest sense of unity and solidarity. Turin 2025 is a stage not only for athletic achievement but for the triumph of inclusion, dignity, and equality—principles that transcend borders, languages, and cultures.”
Kodellas Ambassador ad.h, added:
"When unwavering determination meets the challenge of sports, all obstacles, all difficulties are eliminated. When, at the starting line, you let your gaze run the course, when at the start you count the breaths you will need until you reach the finish line, when at the mountain peak you face the challenges of the vast white expanse stretching before you, nothing can stop you.”
“Our team, which will soon depart for Turin, fully prepared, will unite its enthusiasm with the enthusiasm of athletes from all over the world and will show that intellectual disability, from a rugged path that everyone fears, can, with effort, perseverance, and love, become a destination that offers nothing but joy."
Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo explained: "A French writer and explorer, Alexandra David-Néel, once said: “Whoever travels without meeting one another does not travel, they just move.” This is a metaphor of this torch, whose purpose is not about the finish line or the destination, but it is about the journey and what it will encounter along the way. I look at this torch and hear all the languages of the world speaking, I understand them all because this flame, which speaks a universal language, represents a light of hope for a better future.
An integral part of Special Olympics movement is the Final Leg, a ceremonial run conducted before the Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games. During this event, law enforcement officers, serving as Guardians of the Flame®, carry the Flame of Hope, the torch that symbolizes the Special Olympics, to the Opening Ceremonies. This tradition not only honors the athletes who will compete but also celebrates the unity, dedication, and support of the global law enforcement community. The Final Leg represents the culmination of countless Torch Run events worldwide, reinforcing the commitment to creating a more inclusive world for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The LETR Final Leg was added to the 7th International Summer Special Olympics Games in South Bend, Indiana, USA. The first Leg carried the Torch from Chicago, the birthplace of Special Olympics, to the Opening Ceremony of the 1987 Games.
Mark McCorkle, LETR Executive Council and Final Leg Planning Chairman, said: "The lighting of the Torch signals the beginning of a 12-day journey, where the Flame of Hope will shine brightly, inspiring all of us to champion the spirit of inclusion and acceptance."
