2009 was a notable year for Special Olympics in the region, Abeer Anwar reports Last week, the head office of the Special Olympics MENA Region in Cairo issued its 2009 year ender, as regional manager Engineer Ayman Abdel Wahab commented: "It was a very special year with its sorrows and achievements. Special Olympics MENA athletes played a wonderful symphony of sports achievements all through the year." Two big shocks that caused sorrow to Special Olympics athletes and organisers were the deaths of two pioneer women: Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics movement worldwide, and Magda Moussa, founder of the Special Olympics movement in Egypt. Both women gave a large part of their lives to the movement and were guiding lights to so many with special needs. Regional Manager Abdel Wahab said: "We have lost two women that we could never replace. They dedicated all their efforts to draw a simple smile on the faces of all the mentally handicapped." Abdel Wahab granted the Special Olympics Award of Honour to Prince Salman Bin Abdel Aziz of Riyadh in recognition of his efforts with the Special Olympics Saudi Arabia athletes' programme. "His Highness has helped to make the Saudi programme a story of success, an example to be followed," commented Abdel Wahab. The same award was given to Tunisian President Zein El-Abdeen Bin Ali in recognition of his efforts with Special Olympics Tunisia. Also in 2009, Special Olympics International chose Abdel Wahab to continue as Special Olympics MENA Region manager for the third consecutive period, 2010- 2015 -- the first regional manager to be thus honoured. This is attributed to his success in reviving a number of the region's programmes and increasing the number of mentally handicapped athletes all over the MENA region. In addition, Special Olympics CEO Dr Timothy Shriver and Abdel Wahab presented the Special Olympics movement in front of the International Competitive Forum that took place in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. Special Olympics MENA also participated in the Special Olympics Winter Games that took place in Idaho, the United States, where the 16 MENA programmes that participated were able to snatch 61 medals: 26 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze. His Highness King Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz of Saudi Arabia has donated $1 million to the Special Olympics MENA Region and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed followed in his footsteps by donating a further $700,000. Syria was chosen as the host of the Seventh Special Olympics MENA Games that will take place in Damascus from 25 September to 3 October 2010 under the auspices of her Highness Asmaa Al-Assad, Syrian first lady and honorary chairwomen of Special Olympics Syria. Athletes will compete in 15 different sports. Special Olympics MENA Region was also invited to participate in the coming World Summer Games to take place in Athens, Greece from 25 June to 4 July 2011. Some 7,000 Special Olympics athletes representing 180 countries will compete in 16 sports. Abdel Wahab also honoured Ali Meselhi, minister of social affairs, Hassan Sakr, head of the National Sports Body, Adel Labib, Alexandria governor, Abdel Azeem Darwish, Cairo governor, and Fathi Saad, 6th of October governor, for their help and efforts in making the Special Olympics movement a success.
