The “flame of hope” has made its way through Benalla, Wangaratta and Beechworth over the past two days and will arrive in Wodonga on Thursday morning for the next leg.

Special Olympics Australia chief executive Corene Strauss said both the torch run and sporting events throughout the year “makes the invisible, visible”.

Unlike the Paralympics, the Special Olympics are about grassroots competition, not elite sport.

“It’s to try to call out to families who have someone with an intellectual disability to say there is a place of belonging that exists,” Ms Strauss said.

“People have very low expectations of people with a disability and we’re a place where they can actually demonstrate their ability, not their disability.

“It’s quite empowering for families, as well as the individual.”

St Joseph’s Primary School students were full of excitement as they walked down Beechworth’s Church Street on Wednesday, chanting along with the Special Olympics and Victoria Police members.

Senior Sergeant Michael Olsen encouraged them to think about how to include people with intellectual disabilities in their own lives.

“At this young age it’s hopefully something they will think about and carry on with as they get older,” he told The Border Mail.

“They can become very marginalised, people with an intellectual disability, particular as they get older, because those support networks they had at a younger age have dropped away.

“That can lead to them getting disenfranchised, coming to the attention of police.”

Police involved in the torch run also use the event to advise officers around the state on how to talk to people with intellectual disabilities rationally and try to break down the misconceptions which can lead to issues with authority.

“With this much noise and movement and colour in the street, it’s wonderful,” Senior Sergeant Olsen said.

Indigo mayor Jenny O’Connor said the torch run was a fantastic event to honour the fact the council wanted to see diverse communities in the municipality.

“It’s a great honour for us to have this here because it reminds us that we all belong in our communities, irrespective of what our ability is, what our social status is, we all belong,” she said.

“In particular, we recognise that people with intellectual disabilities are an important part of our community.”