The tears and sweat they shed were of another kind. It was even more beautiful to see them fight to overcome their challenges.

Yesterday, on February 5, the 2013 PyeongChang Special Winter Olympics came to an end. Under the slogan, ‘together we can,’ 1,989 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 106 nations participated. We could see their determination to surpass their limits and power to interact and communicate with the world.

Na Kyung-won, chairperson of the organizing committee for the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games, commented at the opening ceremony, “Don’t look at them (the disabled) twice, think about them twice.”

The Special Olympics have brought us much inspiration as well as issues for self-reflection. I would like to give a big hand to all the athletes and their families.

We are now approaching the Chinese New Year. In countries that have received much influence from China, the New Year is celebrated on the first of January on the lunar calendar (February 10 this year). Several countries in Southeast Asia celebrate the New Year in April and some Islamic states celebrate it on the Muslim calendar, which means the date changes from year to year and could fall in any month.

We can benefit from the New Year being different depending on regions and cultures. It gives us multiple chances to renew our often short-lived New Year’s resolutions such as to stop smoking, stop drinking, read a few hours a days, etc.

May you start a fresh in the New Year and may all your dreams come true.

February 6, 2013

Sincerely
Lee Sang-ki, CEO & Publisher of the AsiaN

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