Japan: Disney VoluntEARS team up with The Special Olympics Nippon
The Special Olympics Nippon held their 3rd Summer National games this August and The Walt Disney Company was right there along with more than 270 Disney VoluntEARS.

The event began early in the morning with the Tokyo Disneyland Torch Run through Cinderella Castle and Yoyogi Park. The run ended with the Opening Ceremony Disney Stage Spectacular which kicked off two days of sporting events and activities. Disney VoluntEARS worked in a wide variety of roles to ensure the athletes and their families had everything they needed. VoluntEARS coached athletes during Track & Field events, Tennis matches, Badminton, Ping-Pong, and Bowling. A team of VoluntEARS also helped deliver lunches, set-up event sites, assist with security, teach Para Para, monitor paths at some of the remote event locations, and provide photographic and video documentation. When the games were done, Disney VoluntEARS played a critical role in the final load-out at Oda Field.

The Special Olympics Nippon event, with over 270 Disney VoluntEARS, was the single largest Disney VoluntEAR event ever to be held outside of the United States.

Click here* to listen to "You Are the Dream," a very special theme song that was written and produced by DisneyHAND for the Special Olympics.		For best listening experience PC - · Mac -
*NOTE: For the best results, you should have a high-speed connection, such as DSL or cable modem, to listen to "You Are the Dream."

China: Project Mulan
Through Project Mulan, Disney VoluntEARS are raising funds and working on site to improve conditions in some of China's most impoverished rural schools. These boys were attending school in this dilapidated classroom in Guizhou until Project Mulan helped construct a new school building for them. Project Mulan has also provided stationery, books and materials for the school and is sponsoring scholarships for teacher trainees who agree to teach in this and other Project Mulan schools. Click here to learn more about this ambitious project and other events being held in China.

Hong Kong

Wonderful Nature
A wonderful team of Disney VoluntEARS joined in the "Wonderful Nature - Hong Kong" activity held at the Earth Day Tung Ping Chau Nature Day Tour and the 3Day/2Night Outdoor Camping trip at Tai Tam.

The two events helped to bring "Wonderful Nature - Hong Kong" to more than 64 children aged 8-10 years old from across the territory. The program was designed to encourage Hong Kong children's appreciation of the outdoor world, their understanding of the importance of environmental protection, and their outdoor recreation and survival skills. Most importantly, all the children enjoyed themselves, especially when they sang and danced together to their favorite Disney tunes!


Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival
Hong Kong Disneyland made its first appearance ever at Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Lantern festival, one of the most popular traditional Chinese festivals in Hong Kong. In honor of the festival, a lantern was designed in the image of Sleeping Beauty Castle, which will be a key featured attraction inside the Hong Kong Disneyland park opening in 2005/06 at Penny's Bay on Lantau Island. The Sleeping Beauty Castle lantern was part of the Hong Kong Island Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival festivities at Victoria Park on September 20 and 21, 2002.

The spectacular Sleeping Beauty Castle lantern is 6 meters high and 7 meters wide and requires more than 400 light bulbs to illuminate it. Disney has a long-standing tradition of taking an active role in the communities in which its businesses are located. This mid-autumn festival was just the beginning of Hong Kong Disneyland's efforts which will include VoluntEAR outreach and participation in other community activities like the Chinese New Year parade.