Don Mischer Productions to Produce Opening Ceremonies of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games

    SHANGHAI, China, April 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Today, at the
 Friendship Hall of the Shanghai Exhibition Center it was announced that
 award winning Don Mischer Productions would produce the Opening Ceremonies
 of the upcoming 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games. In October 2007,
 Shanghai, China will be the world stage for the 2007 Special Olympics World
 Summer and will bring together 20,000 to 30,000 athletes, coaches, family
 members and supporters from 170 countries around the world celebrating the
 abilities and potential of people with intellectual disabilities. The Games
 promise to be the largest sports and humanitarian event in the world next
 year, less than one year prior to the Olympic Games scheduled for Beijing.
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     At the press conference, Dr. Derong Shi, Chief Executive Officer of
 2007 Special Olympics World Games Executive Committee, made the
 announcement.
     Don Mischer, the Executive Producer for the Opening Ceremony, is an
 internationally recognized producer and director of television and live
 events. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of 1996 Atlanta Centennial
 Olympic Games and 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, both Don Mischer
 Productions were highly rated events -- stunning, emotional and highly
 acclaimed worldwide. ''I look forward to working with the Special Olympics
 2007 Games Committee and with the artistic community in China to create a
 Ceremony that brings the passion and spirit of Special Olympics to life,''
 said Mischer. ''On October 2, 2007, the Shanghai Stadium will be
 transformed into a place where differences are appreciated and celebrated.
 The Ceremony will shine a spotlight on the dignity of human life and the
 beauty of the human soul.''
     Mischer and fellow Executive Producer David Goldberg will spend the
 coming days visiting Shanghai and Beijing researching the arts and cultural
 community for background and use in the production of the Opening Ceremony.
 Dr. Derong Shi commented on the rationale of choosing Don Mischer
 Productions, ''Don has a significant reputation and strong experience in
 organizing and producing global-scale events. His leadership in the Opening
 Ceremony will attract international celebrities to be a part of the event
 and coverage from international media.'' The Opening Ceremony is planned to
 be broadcast throughout China and around the world. Many corporations
 choose to become sponsors of the Special Olympics World Games, using this
 good opportunity to communicate their corporate responsibilities to the
 world.
     The 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games promise not only to be a
 world-class sporting event and spectacular occasion, but also an historic
 one which will build cultural bridges and foster a global vision of
 inclusion and acceptance for all. The combination of Don, the leadership of
 the Games Organizing Committee, in particular, Vice Mayor Zhou and Dr. Shi,
 and the magnificent city of Shanghai and its people ensure that these Games
 will be of the highest quality and memorable for years to come,'' added
 Bruce Pasternack, Special Olympics International President and CEO.
     Special Olympics China Chairman Mr. Zhijun Wang and Vice Mayor Zhou
 attended the press conference.
     About Don Mischer Productions
     Don Mischer is an internationally recognized producer and director of
 television and live events who has been honored with thirteen Primetime
 Emmy Awards, a record nine Directors Guild of America Awards for
 Outstanding Directorial Achievement, two NAACP Image Awards, a Peabody
 Award for excellence in broadcasting, and Europe's prestigious Golden Rose
 of Montreux. Joined by David Goldberg, they have been in collaboration
 nearly thirty years. Together, their producer/director credits range from
 the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games,
 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, Hong Kong 1997 Spectacular, the Kennedy
 Center Honors, PBS Dance in America, and the 100th Anniversary of Carnegie
 Hall, to Motown 25, the Presidential Inaugural Gala, Barbara Streisand's
 Millennium Concert in Las Vegas, and the NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show with
 Paul McCartney.
     About Special Olympics
     Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by
 promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and
 without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training and
 athletic competition and other related programming for more than 2.25
 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150
 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates
 people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special
 Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing
 opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness,
 demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to
 participate in Special Olympics. Visit Special Olympics at
 http://www.specialolympics.org .
     For further information, please contact:
 
      Kathryn Ferb
      Consultant
      Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
      Tel:   +86-21-2405-1888
      Fax:   +86-21-2405-1628
      Email: Kathryn.Ferb@ogilvy.com
 
      Ding Ying
      Media Relations Manager
      2007 Special Olympics World Executive Committee
      Tel:   +86-21-6431-2007 x823
      Fax:   +86-21-6431-9820
      Email: ding_ying@specialolympics.sh.cn
      Web:   http://www.2007specialolympics.com
 
 

SOURCE Special Olympics