The Flame of Hope for the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympic World Summer Games lit the torch, which was carried to pass through a string of landmark sites in Washington, on Thursday, July 26, at the White House hosted by U.S. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush. More than 200 Special Olympic athletes and law enforcement officials from the United States and China attended the torch run covering about 12.4 kilometers. The torch stopped at the Chinese Embassy to the United States, where held a special welcoming ceremony.