2007 World Games Design Competition Winners

International design competition attracts close to 4,000 logo and theme submissions

[Shanghai, China, March 3, 2005] – Finalists and winners in the design competition for logo, theme and 2005 public service announcement (PSA) were honoured at a gala awards ceremony last Sunday (27 February, 2005) at Shanghai Television Studios, Shanghai.

Ms Baomei Zhou, a 26-year-old Special School teacher from Shanghai, was awarded the prize for logo submission. The design, which depicts an elegant graphic conveying Special Olympics athletes and the Shanghai city magnolia flower, will now become the official logo for the 2007 Special Olympics World Games.

The winner in the theme category, Ms Lou Ruzheng, is a resident of Zhejiang province. Her theme of “I know I can” effectively conveys the positive attitude and spirit of Special Olympics athletes throughout the world. The winning PSA entry was a joint submission by Mr Scott Lau, Ms Meijin Liang, Mr Albert Tien and the Cube Cell production company, which was inspired by the famous traditional Chinese folk painting known as “100 Children”.

An enthusiastic response to the international design competition resulted in almost 4,000 logo, theme and PSA entries from professional and amateur artists in Indonesia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, the Philippines, Cameroon, New Zealand, Spain and Australia. The majority of entries however, came from mainland China, particularly from primary, high school and university students keen to provide their support for the upcoming 2007 World Games in Shanghai.

“The design competition revealed widespread international support for the upcoming 2007 World Games,“ said Dr Shi Derong, Vice Secretary General 2007 Special Olympics World Games Steering Committee. “The winners in each category successfully conveyed the spirit of the Special Olympics, which will be abundant in Shanghai during the World Games. The selection committee was overwhelmed by the creative submissions we receive from both inside and outside China.”

Sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., the design competition awarded cash prizes to all winners and finalists. The prize money for each winner consisted of: logo designer RMB 200,000; theme creator RMB 200,000 and PSA producer RMB 300,000.

The prizes and trophies were presented to winners and finalists by AstraZeneca President, Mr Steen Kroyer. “We are proud of our involvement, as the first sponsor company from the pharmaceutical industry, in the 2007 Special Olympics World Games,” he said at the ceremony. “We will continue to encourage our employees to become even more involved in the preparations for the 2007 Special Olympics World Games, as a key example of our commitment to the development of Special Olympics in China."

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, athletic competition and other related programming for more than 1.3 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people’s diverse abilities and develops the full potential of individuals. 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.

About Special Olympics World Games

The Special Olympics World Games program consists of Summer and Winter Games. The World Summer Games are held every four years, with the first games being held in Chicago, USA, in 1968. The 2003 World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, were the first World Games to be held outside the United States.

The 2007 Special Olympics World Games will be held in Shanghai, underscoring the importance of China to the Special Olympics movement. By 2005, one-quarter of Special Olympics global participants will be Chinese – a total of 500,000 athletes.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. is one of the world’s leading healthcare companies, engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. AstraZeneca is the sole sponsor of the 2007 Special Olympics World Games design competition and is recognised as a "Friend of the Games" by the Special Olympics Executive Committee.

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