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17-25 June 2023
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Honored Guest Program

Alongside athletes, families, and spectators, we are also excited to welcome to Berlin selected honored guests to celebrate the Special Olympics World Games in June 2023.

Within the Honored Guest Program, our invitees come from the realms of politics, business, or other parts of public life. Others join us as new and old partners and Special Olympics supporters.

The photo shows Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz with athlete spokesman Dennis Mellentin.
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The photo shows the Governing Mayor of Berlin in conversation with volunteer Hartmut Augustin.
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The photo shows former German Handball National Team Coach Heiner Brand with a child at the Special Olympics National Games in Bonn 2022. Both are smiling into the camera and the boy has his arm around Brand.
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The photo shows former German football player Philipp Lahm handing out medals to athletes at the Berlin 2022 National Games. He has a smile on his face.
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Das Bild zeigt Katarina Witt, die ehemalige Eiskunstläuferin und Vorsitzende der Katarina-Witt-Stiftung, die lächelnd einen Wortbeitrag vorträgt.
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The photo shows three people: A politician (unknown), German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Global Messenger Nyasha Derea in conversation.
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The photo shows Celia Sasic and Philipp Lahm in the stands of a handball competition, both clapping their hands joyfully.
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In the photo, ex-national player Celia Sasic can be seen in the front, smiling joyfully at the camera. Next to her, slightly in the background, ex-Bayern pro Philipp Lahm is also laughing.
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The photo shows an athlete taking a selfie with a professional player from Hertha BSC.
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The photo shows beach volleyball pros Nils Ehlers and Clemens Winkler high-fiving and smiling with many athletes at beach volleyball during the National Games.
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Honored guests have the unique chance to take an active part in the Games. Joining the athletes entering the Opening Ceremony of the games? Presenting medals for exceptional efforts during award ceremonies? Competing together with athletes in different sports within our “Unified Sports® Experiences”?

All this and much more is possible during the Games: the Honored Guest Program has the goal of breaking down walls, inspiring people and living inclusion and tolerance in all their forms. Beyond that, we aim to put the Special Olympics movement into the spotlight of politics, businesses, and society: a step towards a just future for all.

With this program, we establish connections between people of different backgrounds and with varying abilities; we aim to enable long-lasting partnerships, inclusive networks and visibility for athletes and their achievements.