The spark that became today's Special Olympics movement ignited at the first 1968 International Summer Games in Chicago, Il., USA.
Five decades later, Special Olympics is set to launch the year-long global Special Olympics 50th Anniversary celebration.
In British Columbia, we will be honouring the start of the year-long celebration as the province and communities proclaim July 21 the Global Day of Inclusion. In addition, watch as communities light up the skies in red across to mark the historic occasion.
In Vancouver, watch for BC Place, the Sail of Lights, Science World, Rogers Centre, the Telus Building, and City Hall will all be lighting their facilities in red to commemorate the historic occasion.
Across the province, the BC Legislature, the Squamish Adventure Centre, City Hall in Maple Ridge, the Civic Plaza in Surrey, and the light columns at City Hall in Coquitlam as well as their Skytrain guideway pillars on Pinetree Way. The City of Trail will join in when they illuminate the Victoria Street Bridge, while Quesnel will join in as they light up the historic Fraser River Footbridge.
Here is the list of communities in B.C. that have/will proclaim July 21, 2018, as the Global Day of Inclusion:
- Province of British Colombia
- Burnaby
- Campbell River
- Comox
- Dawson Creek
- Fort St. John
- Keremeos
- Merritt
- Mission
- Nanaimo
- New Westminster
- North Vancouver
- Penticton
- Richmond
- Squamish
- Trail
- Vancouver
- Williams Lake
Keep an eye out for our social media accounts as we roll out more news over the course of the year as we celebrate 50 years of respect and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities through the power of sport.