Baku Olympic Stadium to “Light Up” for Special Olympics Inclusion Revolution

20 July 2018

Iconic landmarks around the world turned red in a global display of unity on July 20

Baku, Azerbaijan – July 20, 2018 – Special Olympics announced today that major landmarks, stadia and iconic buildings around the world, including Baku Olympic Stadium, turned RED in a global display of unity on July 20 as part of the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration. The act represents the dawn of the Inclusion Revolution—Special Olympics’ mission to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities (ID) worldwide and create inclusive communities.

“We are grateful for the tremendous support to help celebrate and raise awareness for people with intellectual disabilities regardless of where they live in the world,” said Special Olympics International Chairman, Timothy Shriver. “Light Up for Inclusion symbolizes the continuation and evolution of Special Olympics’ mission.”

In addition to Baku Olympic Stadium, more than 170 landmarks worldwide – including over 40 in Europe Eurasia – participated in the Light Up for Inclusion initiative, creating a global display of tolerance, respect and celebration of difference.

Major global landmarks participating in Light Up for Inclusion include Niagara Falls in the USA and Canada, The Angel of Independence in Mexico City, Sydney Opera House and The Water Cube in Beijing. Landmarks that are lighting up in Europe Eurasia include, but are not limited to:

1. Coca-Cola London Eye & Piccadilly sign, London, UK
2. Mansion House, Dublin, Ireland
3. Moorish Castle, Gibraltar
4. The Dom Tower, Utrecht, The Netherlands
5. Torre de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal
6. Pyramidenkogel Tower, Carinthia, Austria
7. Maschio Angioino of Naples, Campania, Italy
8. Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany
9. PGE Narodowy Stadium, Warsaw, Poland
10. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens, Greece
11. National Art Museum, Bucharest, Romania
12. Bosphorus Bridge, Turkey
13. Dnipro Bridge, Kyiv, Ukraine
14. Krymsky Bridge, Moscow, Russia
15. Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan
16. Khan Shatyr, Astana, Kazakhstan

Light Up for Inclusion is part of the action-packed Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration taking place in Chicago from July 17-21. Chicago is the birthplace of the first International Special Olympics Summer Games, which were held at Soldier Field in July 1968.

Special Olympics athletes, coaches, supporters and celebrities from around the globe are to gather in Chicago for the 50th Anniversary to commemorate 50 years of joy, courage and empowerment, and participate in a weekend filled with inspiring events.

Upcoming Special Olympics events

Special Olympics 50th celebrations will continue in Azerbaijan in between September 24 and 28 when the city of Baku hosts a groundbreaking Special Olympics Global Youth Leadership Forum, ushering in a new era of youth-led social impact projects.

The next Special Olympics World Summer Games will take place in Abu Dhabi from March 14-21, 2019. Over 7,000 Special Olympics athletes representing over 170 countries from around the world will compete.