Flame for Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games lit in Athens

STORY: Flame for Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games lit in Athens DATELINE: June 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:21 LOCATION: Athens CATEGORY: SPORTS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the ceremony 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Greek): DIONISIS KODELAS, President of Special Olympics Hellas 3. various of the ceremony 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SVEN ALBRECHT, CEO of Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): DAVID EVANGELISTA, Regional president and managing director, Europe Eurasia Special Olympics STORYLINE: The Flame of Hope, which will be burning for the Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games, was lit in Athens on Wednesday. The ritual ceremony was held with the participation of Special Olympics athletes in the tradition of lighting of the flame for the Olympic Games. The event was hosted at Zappeion exhibition hall, near the stadium which hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896. The flame was ignited out of a concave mirror using the sun's rays. A Greek girl playing the role of an ancient Greek High Pri