Headed by China's NBA star Yao Ming, acting and sports stars from home and abroad joined the opening ceremony of the 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics on a stellar Tuesday evening, showing that the sport and entertainment industries have responsibility to break down the barriers for people with disabilities.
As the Special Olympics global ambassador, Yao, a Shanghai native, has been working on it recently in his hometown and even missed the pre-season training session with the Houston Rockets, which cost him a fine of 27,500 U.S. dollars. But the 27-year-old center never regretted spending energy and time on the noble cause.
In the opening ceremony which mobilized 5,800 performers in three hours, Yao delivered a short speech to inspire the torch lighting and also accompanied the Chinese delegation in the parades of the athletes.
Hollywood actor Colin Farrell was another devoted Special Olympics global ambassador, who participated in the previous editions in the United States and Ireland before.
"No matter where we live, our courage will say yes to challenge," said Farrell, who piloted the four chapters' extravagant show with another ambassador Karen Mok, a famous movie and singing star from Hong Kong.
"All of us need to develop skills and discover the potentials. Tomorrow the athletes will start to compete in 21 sports and we believe they will do it with determination and skills," added Farrell, who stars in films such as "Daredevil" and "Alexander" and the TV series "Miami Vice".
Olympics global ambassadors Mok and Vicky Zhao, another household name from the Chinese screen, have just begun to work for the Special Olympics since 2006.
"As Olympics global ambassador, I had chance to visit some schools for the intellectually disabled last year, it is nice to play with them, and they deserve more care in the society," said Zhao at a press conference on Monday.
In the opening ceremony, Zhao helped guide the audience to play the flute with the performance of cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble, making it one of the most absorbing part of the ceremony.
It was the first time for Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble to play the song publicly, and tens of thousands of simple Chinese flutes were provided beforehand to the audience, who were taught and played five simple notes in the song.
"We named the song 'Joy,' which is the core of the Special Olympics," said Ma at a press conference ahead of the opening ceremony. "The song is very simple, it is easy to understand and communicate."
Ma is known for his varied music styles, from the grace of Bach's cello suites, to ancient fiddle traditions still alive in Appalachia and even to the soulful strains of the bandoneons, or accordions, of Argentina's tango cafes.
"Harmony is the ideal of mankind, and trust, sharing and help the Special Olympics try to embody are the basics of harmony," said Ma.
A record 7,291 athletes from 164 countries and regions are taking part in the Oct. 2-11 event in Shanghai, with the eldest aged 69 and the youngest at 8.
Marking the first time the event has been held in Asia, the Games also welcome 2,302 trainers, more than 20,000 family members of the athletes, celebrities, VIPs and some 40,000 volunteers from all over the world.
Source: Xinhua
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