Kaufbeuren - 170 nations, 170 municipalities: Kaufbeuren wants to be there and thus become part of the Special Olympics World Games 2023.
An application has already been sent to the responsible committee, as Tayfun Aygün von Kaufbeuren-aktiv has now announced.
In June 2023, Berlin will be the venue for the Special Olympics World Games. Then 170 nations fight for medals. Participating delegations from around the world range in size from presumably six to 400 members. When the teams travel to Germany from their home countries, they initially spend four days, from June 11 to 14, 2023, in so-called host towns. These are places where you arrive in Germany and are welcomed before you go to Berlin.
The city of Kaufbeuren has now applied to be the host town. "We would be very happy if our application was successful and if we were allowed to host a delegation," says Mayor Stefan Bosse. “For years, Kaufbeuren has attached great importance to the inclusive community spirit. As a host town, the city could get a significant boost for our numerous inclusion projects, ”adds Alfred Riermeier, the city's head of department.
In Kaufbeuren, inclusion is so taken for granted that numerous clubs, companies and institutions don't talk about it at all - they just do it.
"For years, disabled athletes have usually had a permanent place in the city's athletes' honor," emphasizes Riermeier.
People with disabilities would naturally pursue their passion for sport in Kaufbeuren, for example in the German Alpine Club, the local ski club or taekwondo - to name just a few.
Objective of the initiative
One of the goals of the Host Town Initiative is to create sustainable, inclusive projects in the municipalities that break down barriers and enable people with and without disabilities to share moments together in the future.
“This is exactly where our idea comes in.
We want to help ensure that inclusive participation in our sports clubs becomes even more natural in the future and that life works even better together, ”said Riermeier.
Image video on YouTube
The application, which was tailored precisely to Kaufbeuren, was implemented by the city in cooperation with the Tenambergen marketing agency with the support of Lebenshilfe Ostallgäu-Kaufbeuren-Marktoberdorf.
It is now before the selection committee of Special Olympics Germany.
For a specially made image video, a day of shooting with the multi-award-winning athletes from Lebenshilfe in the Kaufbeurer Park Stadium was on the agenda.
Those interested can find the film either on the Kaufbeuren-aktiv YouTube channel or at www.kaufbeuren-
aktiv.de.
Which 170 municipalities can convince the jury and become host towns will be announced in December.
The first kick-off events will then take place from January 2022, so the first events are planned for the host town period.
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