Olympic flame lights up over Berlin

From the BZ editorial team

Every Wednesday, a different district head determines a topic at the BZ mayoral championship. This time it’s Oliver Igel’s (45, SPD), mayor of Treptow-Köpenick’s turn.

The Olympics are often a hot topic, particularly because of the cost and commercialization. From next week, an Olympic flame will blow through Berlin that deserves a lot of attention: Our capital is the host of the Special Olympics World Games.

Here people with mental or multiple disabilities show their top sporting achievements. The districts support this: Several districts organize an accompanying program as “host towns”. In the coming days we will welcome the athletes and show them our city.

Treptow-Köpenick has the honor of accompanying the team from Ukraine. There are many thoughts at war at home – but they will prove their strength and courage. And we show our solidarity. Special Olympics is the largest inclusive movement in our country’s history. And we also want to get the people of our city excited about this.

In Treptow-Köpenick we organize an inclusive sports festival, show the delegation the stadium of 1. FC Union, our youth location Mellowpark – and there is also a torch relay. The “Flame of Hope” is lit shortly before the World Games in Athens and makes its way to Berlin, where it ignites the brazier in the Olympic Stadium.

You can be there in Treptow-Köpenick beforehand: together with around 100 international runners as well as runners from the district and the district office, the torch relay starts on June 16 at 10.30 a.m. at Haus Zenner in Treptow Park. Cheer on everyone – and then we’ll enjoy the new Olympic Games in Berlin.

I will be watching our Ukrainian team closely and keeping my fingers crossed for them to bring home medals as a sign of hope for peaceful, inclusive coexistence in the world.

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