Asia-Pacific will showcase its largest delegation of athletes in Abu Dhabi in March

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 23 January2019 - The Local OrganizingCommittee (LOC) for Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 today marks the50 days countdown to the World Games, which take place from March 14 to 21. TheGames will be the largest sports and humanitarian event in the world this year. Here are five reasons for fans to watchthe World Games in 50 days:

1.  Thebiggest sports and humanitarian event of 2019 -- Inaddition to over 10,000 athletes competing in the SO World Games, over 20,000volunteers signed up and trained to support over 7,500 athletes, as well as theirfamilies and coaches throughout the Games.

2.  The mostunified and inclusive World Games -- There will be more than 190 nationsthat will participate, and the Games will welcome an astounding 19 SpecialOlympics programs who will compete for the first time. Six (6) of them are fromAsia-Pacific: Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, andMicronesia.

3.  It's thefirst time the Games will be hosted in the Middle East -- The LOCand the United Arab Emirates are building a legacy of the largest and mostinclusive games in the history, making it an historic Games for it being thefirst time in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. 

4.  50 Days toCelebrate the 50^th Anniversary -- TheSpecial Olympics has been changing lives and making an impact on communitiesaround the world for 50 years, and this year the Special Olympics World Games inAbu Dhabi will mark the start for the next 50 years of the inclusion movement.

5.  TheAsia-Pacific region will compete with its largest delegation -- From 33various different Special Olympics programs in APAC, 1,310 athletes from acrossthe region will represent their nations and compete in 24 various sports.India, Korea, and Australia are the top three countries with the largestdelegations from the region. 

"Weare excited to host Asia-Pacific's largest delegation at a World Games to date,with over 1,300 athletes from the region coming to the UAE to showcase theirtalent on a global stage, " said Tala Al Ramahi, Chief Strategy Officer ofSpecial Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. "In 50 days' time, SpecialOlympics programs from this region will become part of the most unified Gamesever held. This is going to be a momentous opportunity to shine the spotlighton these talented individuals and celebrate inclusion."

Forinformation on the Special Olympic World Games, please visit https://www.abudhabi2019.org/.