The Coca-Cola Company has announced the extension of its worldwide sponsorship of the Special Olympics, including the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai.

The global sponsorship extension was formalized recently by Muhtar Kent, executive vice president, The Coca-Cola Company, and president, Coca-Cola International; Paul Etchells, president, Coca-Cola China; and Bruce Pasternack, president and chief executive officer, Special Olympics.

To celebrate the renewal of their longtime partnership and also mark the one-year countdown to the next Special Olympics World Summer Games on October 2-11, 2007, executives from The Coca-Cola Company and
Special Olympics gathered at the Shanghai International Press Centre in Pudong, joined by the vice mayor of Shanghai, Zhou Tai-tong, several Special Olympics athletes, and employees from Coca-Cola.

The worldwide sponsorship commitment, which covers the calendar years 2006 and 2007 is comprised of cash, in-kind products and services, and marketing and fundraising support for Special Olympics.

Coca-Cola, which became a founding partner of Special Olympics when the organization was established in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, has been deeply involved with both the summer and winter editions of the Special Olympics World Games since 1979. The Coca-Cola Company is also the only sponsor supporting the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and Special Olympics World Games.