Good day, ladies and gentlemen,
Attached you will find a press release from the Saarlouis district regarding the torch relay taking place there on June 11 for your information and further use:
With the kind request for publication
PM_14 including torchbearer pairs and many other participants make the Saarlouis torchlight procession a very special experience
Only a few days left until the time has come. To draw attention to the Special Olympics National Games, which will take place in the Saarland from June 15 to 20, 2026, a big "Torch Day" will take place in the Saarlouis district.
“On June 11th, many people will accompany the torch for the Special Olympics National Games in Saarland through our district, igniting a fire for more inclusion in our society”: At a press conference ahead of the big torch day in the Saarlouis district, District Administrator Patrik Lauer’s anticipation was clearly noticeable.
Hundreds of people, including representatives from emergency services, clubs, schools, welfare associations, businesses, workshops, and athletes of all ages, will participate in the Torch Day. Recently, three participants of the Saarlouis Torch Day spoke with great enthusiasm on behalf of them at the district office to members of the press about why they are taking part in this special event – and why it is so important to them. They are part of a total of 14 inclusively composed torchbearer duos, who will carry the torch (in this case a miner's lamp) throughout the day through the three district municipalities of Ensdorf, Dillingen, and Saarlouis. The evening concludes after the stops in Ensdorf and Dillingen in Saarlouis, where the torch will be carried from the Kleiner Markt to the grand finale at the Ravelin V starting at 6 p.m. There will be a free concert by the band “Dreierpasch,” a comedian performance, many interactive activities, information booths, as well as food and drinks.
Jonas Kammer from Gresaubach, 29 years old, was the first to speak before the representatives of the press, as he will be the first Torch Day participant on June 11 – weather permitting. It is planned that he, along with his brother Nils, will bring the torch by parachute to the Duhamel spoil tip in Ensdorf. There, he will be welcomed by many children from various schools, additional guests, and the brass ensemble of the Bergkapelle Saar. On the spoil tip, the first (mini) torch run with students from the Waldschule Saarwellingen is scheduled to take place in the morning before the torch is flown by paraglider to the Ensdorf sports center, where a large participatory festival with various other participants will be held.
The two brothers from Gresaubach are true parachuting professionals. Nils is a junior world champion, Jonas is a former squad/performance jumper in accuracy landing. Jonas stated during the press conference that they immediately said yes when asked about their contribution to the spectacle. Sport plays a big role in the whole family, so it was a matter of course to participate: "Inclusion is an important issue that we are, of course, very happy to support."
Second to speak in the discussion round was Luca Biwer (31). The Rehlingen-Siersburg native will carry the torch through part of Dillinger's grounds, together with Dillinger's head of personnel, Joerg Disteldorf. Dillinger is the employer of the young man, who is paraplegic; he works in the Strategic Vocational Training department. Biwer, who is also the chairman of the association Luca’s Bewegung, which supports people in distress and their families, emphasized that the torch day holds great significance for him: “When we carry the mining lamp across our grounds, we carry this message with it: respect, recognition, and a warm welcome for the athletes of the Special Olympics here in Saarland.” During their tour, they will be accompanied by many employees: trainees, the disabled representatives, the company cycling team, other colleagues, and the works orchestra. Biwer: “It is not a public run, but for us at the plant it is a very conscious and visible sign. Most important is the message: inclusion and participation are not only part of an event but belong in everyday life — in clubs, schools, companies, and, of course, with us here at the plant.”
And a torchbearer from another station also spoke:
Nicole Arndt, 42, who is being sent by AWO Saarland along with 40 other athletes to the Special Olympics National Games. She is employed at the AWO workshop in Dillingen. At the National Games, she will now showcase her skills in her swimming disciplines backstroke, freestyle, and relay. She already has a wealth of experience to draw on: As she reported, she was even nominated for the Special Olympics in Los Angeles in 2015 and won three gold medals there.
On the Torch Day, Nicole Arndt will carry the torch together with the mayor of Dillingen, Christian Finkler, for a part of the route through Dillingen. “Her” torch relay starts at the AWO workshop for people with disabilities on Konrad-Adenauer-Allee in Dillingen and leads through the Dillingen-Pachten residential area (Cäcilienstraße/Ursulinenstraße up to the access/Ökosee parking lot). In addition to the Arndt/Finkler duo, three other torch relay pairs will start here, each consisting of AWO athletes together with prominent partners. They will be accompanied, among others, by AWO employees, residents and staff from nursing homes, the senior citizens’ council and the inclusion council of the city of Dillingen, as well as Lebenshilfe from the Saarlouis district. Also participating is the para-team driver and world championship silver medalist Ivonne Hellenbrand. The drummers of the music group “Gugge Mol” set the musical rhythm for the torch march.
Nicole Arndt said with conviction at the press conference: "I am excited to participate together with many other people." And regarding the Special Olympics National Games, which take place the following week, she emphasized that the placement is not the most important thing for her: "The main thing is to have fun in the sport and to meet other people."
All participants of the press conference were firmly convinced that this Torch Day would bring great fun to many people. District Administrator Patrik Lauer predicted, "I believe it will be a gigantic community festival, a wonderful celebration of friendship, and a symbol of lived inclusion." He concluded with a heartfelt thank you to the many helpers whose willingness will make this day something very special.
All information about Torch Day can be found on the homepage of the Saarlouis district, www.kreis-saarlouis.de
Photo credit:
IMG_5705_klein.jpg: They are already very much looking forward to the Torch Day in Saarlouis on Thursday, June 11, 2026 (from left): District Administrator Patrik Lauer and the torchbearers Jonas Kammer, Nicole Arndt, and Luca Biwer. Photo: Saarlouis District/Yannick Hoen
