Saarbrücken, June 15, 2026 - It was 9:34 p.m. on Monday evening when basketball player
Hanna Hohe and Jesse Veit, a Unified Partner, ignited the flame of hope in front of
around 16,000 spectators at the Saarbrücken Ludwigsparkstadion. Just over ten min-
utes earlier, the Minister-President of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger, had declared the Special
Olympics National Games in Saarland officially opened.
Host Daniela Ulbing and co-host Mark Solomeyer, former vice president
of Special Olympics Germany (SOD) and athlete spokesperson, now honorary member
of the presidium, acknowledged all groups of guests in their welcome. Of course, Solomeyer began with the athletes, who form the heart of the games, but also welcomed
Minister President Anke Rehlinger and all representatives from politics and
society as well as all volunteers – headed by President Christiane Krajewski.
The current athlete representatives Mirjam Prahst and Dennis Mellentin exchanged
views in a conversation with SOD President Christiane Krajewski. "With Special Olympics
I can make the world a little bit better, I wouldn't want to miss Special Olympics,"
said Prahst. Mellentin replied: "You don't have to, now we celebrate the games here,
next year we will go to the World Games in Chile." Krajewski felt not only great pride about
hosting the games in her Saarland homeland, but also said: "What a wonderful feeling to stand up here with both of you."
The president, who has been at the helm of SOD since 2014, does not want to lose sight of her
goal: "Sports locally for all people with disabilities."
In a panel discussion, voices from three perspectives were heard: athletes through Lower Saxony athletes' representative Kevin Struß, the European dimension through Jean-Claude Hehn, President of the Forbach Porte de France municipal association, and the political host role of Saarland through Reinhold Jost. The Minister of the Interior, Building, and Sports of Saarland had previously been warmly thanked by the SOD President for his outstanding work for these games.
On behalf of the 4,300 athletes from all over Germany and twelve other nations, Hanna Hohe and Jesse Veit took the Special Olympics Oath and promised:
“I want to win, but if I cannot win, I want to bravely do my best.” Michaela Haupenthal spoke the oath for the coaches, and Frank Bischoff took it for the referees.
After the parachutists had safely landed in the interior area with the Special Olympics flags in their luggage following a spectacular approach from the air, Hanna Hohe and Jesse Veit carried the white flag together to the center of the stage and raised it. A picture with symbolic power: athlete and unified partner – person with and without disability – as an equal team.
To the song "We are family," the delegations of the federal states and the international delegations from twelve countries entered the stadium, with the host Saarland coming in last. The 27 sports were presented with symbols and the respective host cities. Swimming is hosted in the French town of Forbach, less than ten kilometers as the crow flies from Saarbrücken. This is how borders are overcome: Saarland thinks European.
Lots of music, including a live performance by T-seven enthusiastically celebrated by the audience, the live band Dynamic Lounge Saarbrücken, the atmospherically presented Special Olympics anthem, video clips, and other show acts rounded off the lively opening ceremony of the largest inclusive multisport event in Germany.
Our websites:
www.saarland2026.de
www.specialolympics.de
