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  TODAY'S BUZZ

Countdown to Cologne 2010
Gay Games International Rainbow Memorial Run Begins Journey From San Francisco to Germany
2010-02-21

This article shared 1491 times since Sun Feb 21, 2010
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Special symbol of the gay rights movement will travel to past Gay Games Host Cities, arriving in Cologne in time for 2010 Opening Ceremony

San Francisco, CA - Less than 10 days after the Olympic flame was lit at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the LGBT sporting world will begin its own countdown to the 2010 Gay Games that take place later this year in Cologne, Germany. The International Rainbow Memorial Run ( IRMR ) gets underway on Sunday, 21 February, 2010 at 10:00 am in the San Francisco National AIDS Memorial Grove.

Every four years, the Rainbow Run helps the Federation of Gay Games ( FGG ) celebrate the lives of those who have graced the Gay Games movement and served or participated in the Games. "In many ways, this is our own 'torch' run," said Brent Nicholson Earle, founder and organizer of the IRMR, "and we begin by renewing our connection with San Francisco, 'our Athens,' the city of our birth."

San Francisco Celebration

On Sunday, 21 February 2010, the FGG will launch the official countdown to the Cologne Gay Games with a press conference and quilt ceremony at San Francisco's National AIDS Memorial Grove. Led by event creator, New York activist Brent Nicholson Earle, the event celebrates friends of the Gay Games lost to AIDS and other diseases, including US Olympian and Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell.

After performances by Cheer San Francisco and remarks by California State Senator Mark Leno and San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty the special Memorial Rainbow Flag will be carried on a symbolic run to San Francisco's Kezar Stadium, the founding stadium of both the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers, and the home of the Gay Games I ( 1982 ) and Gay Games II ( 1986 ) Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

The AIDS Memorial Grove is located at Middle Drive E at Bowling Green Drive in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Kezar Stadium is at 334-670 Kezar Drive, at the SE corner of Golden Gate Park. The event gets underway at 10 am.

Olympic Charter

"As the world celebrates the Vancouver Winter Olympics, most don't know that the Olympic Charter does not expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or health status," said Kurt Dahl and Emy Ritt, FGG co-presidents. "The International Rainbow Memorial Run not only launches the quadrennial Gay Games, but also helps to remind us of the relevance of our movement in a world that still makes it difficult to compete and be openly gay or lesbian."

World Tour

The Rainbow flag will travel to each of the former Host Cities of the Gay Games with symbolic or 5K runs held in each city. The flag will travel to Vancouver, Canada ( Gay Games III, 1990 ) , New York, USA ( Gay Games IV, 1994 ) , Amsterdam, The Netherlands ( Gay Games V, 1998 ) , Sydney, Australia ( Gay Games VI, 2020 ) , and Chicago, USA ( Gay Games VII, 2006 ) before traveling to Cologne, Germany, host of Gay Games VIII, 31 July to August 7, 2010. Similar events are being held throughout Germany in cooperation with local AIDS service organizations.

Cologne 2010 Opening Ceremony

The International Rainbow Memorial Run will make its way to Cologne after a tour through Germany in late July. On the morning of Saturday, 31 July, a special ceremony will be followed by the official International Memorial ( 5K ) Rainbow Run. The flag and flag bearers will enter RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne's famous soccer stadium, that evening during Gay Games VIII Opening Ceremony leading the parade of athletes.

To learn more about the history of the Gay Games movement, or to learn about an upcoming stop by the International Rainbow Memorial Flag, visit www.gaygames.com . For information about the 2010 Gay Games, visitwww.games-cologne.com ( English ) or www.games-cologne.de ( German ) .

About the Gay Games:

The Federation of Gay Games is the international governing body that perpetuates the quadrennial Gay Games and promotes the event's founding principles of "Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best"™. The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and was first held in San Francisco in 1982 with 1,350 participants. Subsequent Gay Games were held in San Francisco ( 1986 - 3,500 participants ) , Vancouver ( 1990 - 7,300 participants ) , New York ( 1994 - 12,500 participants ) , Amsterdam ( 1998 - 13,000 participants ) , Sydney ( 2002 - 11,000 participants ) , and Chicago ( 2006 - 11,700 participants ) . Gay Games VIII will be held in Cologne, Germany on 31 July-7 August 2010 and information is available at www.games-cologne.com .

"Gay Games," "Federation of Gay Games," the interlocking circles device, and the phrase "Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best" are trademarks of the Federation of Gay Games, Inc. Trade marks are registered in the USA, Canada, Benelux, the UK, Germany and Australia.

FROM A NEWS RELEASE


This article shared 1491 times since Sun Feb 21, 2010
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