This content is archived.
Reception with the Croatian Olympic and Paralympic Committees
Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, October 24, 2009
Canada has a passion for winter, and nothing embodies that passion better than snow and ice sports.
In February and March 2010, this passion will be at its peak as Canadians welcome to Vancouver, nestled between ocean and mountains, the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The closer we get to the opening ceremony, the more real the dream becomes and the more the excitement builds. The countdown has already begun.
In fact, after this State visit to your magnificent country, we will be visiting Greece, the birthplace of Olympism.
In particular, we will be going to Athens for the official ceremony to pass the flame to Canada. We will be there as proof of our unwavering commitment to the success of these Games.
We will then be going to Olympia, to the very site where the flame will have been lit.
You may recall that it was in Olympia, toward the turn of the 20th century, that Pierre de Coubertin first expressed his wish to “realise [sic], upon a basis suitable to the conditions of our modern life, the splendid and beneficent task of reviving the Olympic Games.”
A monumental task with a view to “encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity,” as he envisioned it.
With this in mind, we are counting on you, not only for your athletic excellence, but also to make this global gathering a celebration of solidarity between peoples, in the purest manifestation of today’s Olympic spirit.
And it is with great joy and enthusiasm that we will welcome you, the members of the Croatian delegation whom we are meeting today, as well as athletes, artists, dignitaries and spectators from around the world.
At this time, I would like to reaffirm both Canada’s commitment within the Paralympic Movement and its leadership role. For Canada, it is not just a matter of excellence, but one of access and fairness as well.
The pressure will be high, particularly since the number and skill of the athletes continue to rise as the Paralympic Movement continues to grow.
Without a doubt, these Paralympic Winter Games promise to be a great moment in sport, and Canadians will be there to make it happen.
And so I say to you now, “See you very soon,” and extend my best wishes for success to your athletes as they proudly represent Croatia in Vancouver in February and March 2010.