Austria 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games

#SOTeamCanada17 Social Cheer Campaign

On Saturday, March 18, 2017, the day of the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Special Olympic World Winter Games, we want all Canadians to join together in a nation-wide show of support for our Special Olympics athletes who will represent all 36 million Canadians at the Games between March 18-24, 2017.

We’re asking all Canadians to:

1.Share a message, picture or video of support to our

Special Olympic athletes.

2.Post the pic to Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram
and tag it with Special Olympics Canada’s
#SOTeamCanada17 (or #ÉquipeOSCanada17) hashtag.

3.Encourage others to do the same!

Request

We need your help to spread the word across your networks to get your partners to, in turn, support the #SOTeamCanada17 social activation on March 18, 2017.

Please:

• Participate via your social channels
• Encourage your staff to participate via their channels
• Share with your sport partners at the provincial and local levels so they participate and spread the word
• Make it your own – take the spark of this idea and add to it – but remember to use the #SOTeamCanada17 hashtag!

Background

With the support of almost 36 million Canadians from coast to coast to coast, the Government of Canada is so proud to support all of the athletes, coaches and supporters that will represent us all at the Austria 2017 Special Olympic World Winter Games. These Games are especially poignant during the year-long, nation-wide celebration of the 150^th anniversary of Confederation as they will contribute in a meaningful way to our country’s rich sporting history; another opportunity to be inspired by our athletes’ accomplishments; and another chance to honour the impact that sport has in contributing to both active Canadians and more inclusive communities.

Team Canada at the Games is a proud group of 148 athletes, coaches, and mission staff from all over the country preparing to represent Canada at the Austria 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Gras and Schladming, Austria from March 14 to 25, 2017. The Opening Ceremony is on March 18, 2017 as the first four days of the Games period are used to sort all of the Games athletes into competitive levels.

• In these Games, Austria will host one of the world’s largest sporting and humanitarian events in 2017.

• This is the largest Team Canada to ever go to a Special Olympics World Winter Games.
• The 9-days of competition are expected to bring together 3,000 athletes, 1,100 coaches from as many as 110 countries, and will be witnessed by an anticipated 5,000 fans and friends.
• Special Olympics Canada is sending a 148-person delegation of athletes, coaches and mission staff:
  • 110 athletes
  • 38 coaches and mission staff
  • Athletes from all twelve provincial and territorial Chapters
  • Team Canada will compete in 6 sports: alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.
• Both of Team Canada’s floor hockey teams include father-son team members.

For more information on Special Olympics Team Canada, go to TeamCanada.SpecialOlympics.ca or follow along on Twitter and Facebook @SpecialOCanada or, of course, through the team hashtag, #SOTeamCanada17 or #ÉquipeOSCanada17.

Contact

We are asking for your support to extend the reach of this campaign and the other activities we will be activating on our social media channels leading up to and through the Austria 2017 Special Olympic World Winter Games.

Web: www.Canada.ca/Sport

Facebook: /SportCanadaEN & /SportCanadaFR

Twitter: @SportCanada_EN & @SportCanada_FR

Instagram: SportCanada

Youtube: Sport Canada

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact: