Yesterday (Sep 27) the torch relay for the 2007 Special Olympics was formally launched in Guangzhou. The city is the one of the 12 domestic cities of the relay for the upcoming Special Olympics in Shanghai. Executive Vice Mayor Su Zequn lit the torch and started the relay.

Over 1,000 local officials, students, disables and residents participated in the torch run.

Vice Mayor Chen Guo said in the torch run ceremony that Guangzhou has input much effort to improve the recovery, education, employment and funding for the over 500,000 local disables, and hope the torch run and the sports event can help the government to call on more residents to contribute their time and money for the needed disables.

According to the organizer, 11 international police from Canada, US, Northern Ireland, along with 42 local police were elected as the torch bearers of the relay.

The relay will last two days. The torch will be relayed from Tianhe Sports Center to Sun Yat-sen's Memorial Hall and then to Zhongshan Rd.

Editor: Donald