The Deaflympic Games, a quadrennial Olympic-equivalent event for athletes with hearing impairments will take place in Taipei from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15 in 2009. Taipei City Government yesterday publicly solicited designs for the official logo and mascot for the games.
"It is a major coup for Taipei City to win the bid for hosting the 2009 Deaflympic Games as Athens, the host of the 2004 Summer Olympics, also competed with us for the bid last February," Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"It is not only an honor, but also a challenge for Taipei to host this international sporting event," Ma said.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"The city government will take the opportunity to promote Taiwan, and also to help the international community understand us better," he added.
Finishing the job
Ma said the Deaflympic Games is one of the four Olympic-level games approved by the International Olympic Committee, and the city government will endeavor to finish four large stadiums and five MRT lines before 2009, so that Taipei can meet international standards.
"No matter what my status is in 2009, be it a former Taipei Mayor or simply a Taipei citizen, I will certainly participate in the games," Ma said.
Ma's current term ends in 2006.
The Deaflympic Games, under the auspices of the International Committee of Deaf Sports, were first held in Paris in 1924, making it the oldest among the disabled sports organizations.
The next Deaflympic Games will kick off in Melbourne, Australia in 2005.
From Sept. 5 to Sept. 15, 2009, Taipei will come alive with over 8,000 athletes from about 100 countries around the world who will join in the 21st Deaflympic Games.
"The year 2009 will be a glorious year for Taiwan," said Chi Cheng (
"In Taipei, we will have the Deaflympic Games. In Kaohsiung, we will have the World Games. Taiwanese people should be proud," he said.
Designers have to pitch their proposed designs for the official logo and mascot before Sept. 30 to www.deafsports.org.tw. The winning designer will be awarded NT$50,000.
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