The Special Olympics Flame of Hope for the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015) was lit during a formal torch lighting ceremony (May 14). The torch was lit by the sun’s rays at the Sacred Site of Pnyx, opposite the Acropolis. "This Flame of Hope will ignite the cauldron in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games," said Patrick McClenahan, LA2015 President and CEO.

After the Flame of Hope was lit, McClenahan handed the torch to Final Leg Team member and Special Olympics Southern California athlete Brett Laza and Special Olympics Hellas athlete Theano Dilaveraki. Today, the flame arrives in USA. It will light three torches that will be taken across the United States, starting on May 26. The relay will culminate at the Opening Ceremony on July 25.

With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games (July 25 - August 2) will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015.