By William Hague
On July 27, Britain’s young champion Tom Daley dove into the waters of our stunning new Aquatics Centre, and the ripples will be felt across the world. That same day, from Trafalgar Square in the heart of London, President Jacques Rogge of the International Olympic Committee addressed nations around the globe. He invited the world’s top athletes to form teams to compete at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
On July 24 in San José, Costa Rican Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as sports enthusiasts of all ages took part in a Fun Run culminating at the National Stadium. The countdown has begun (see Your Shot on Page 12).
It is six years since the U.K. first won the privilege to host the games, and it has been a remarkable journey since. Everything is on track. Construction of the major venues is complete, a year ahead of game time. We are on budget, on time and set to deliver a great summer of sport and culture. This will be the first “Green Olympics” in the history of the Olympic movement and will be a show to remember – and not just for the sport.
Of course the Olympic games are about sporting excellence and extraordinary personal triumphs. No one knows this better than my friend Lord Coe, whose remarkable achievements make him uniquely qualified to put athletes at the heart of planning for 2012. But they are also about so much more.
For me, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are about one word above all others: legacy; about the real difference they can make to people’s lives. That’s not just in the host city, or the host country, but also around the world. This vision of an enduring legacy is woven into every aspect of the 2012 games.
For example, East London has already been transformed before our eyes. Some of the greatest architects and engineers in their fields have designed sports venues that our communities and visitors will enjoy for years to come. And they have achieved this with a remarkable commitment to putting sustainability at the heart of the build, making London the first truly green Olympic games in history.
But legacy is also about inspiration – about giving young men and women hope and ambition. And through our International Inspiration program we have used sport to reach out to more than 12 million children in 17 countries across the world, from Azerbaijan to Zambia.
Finally, it is about bringing people together under the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence. More than 3.5 million tickets have already been sold. Thousands of people have signed up to volunteer. Hundreds more have been nominated to bear the Olympic flame as it travels the highlands, lowlands and islands on its 70-day journey across the nation.
For the two months of Olympic and Paralympic sport next summer, in every home and on every radio and television, the games will be shared and enjoyed by the world. The British Embassy in San José is proud to support the work of the Costa Rican National Olympic Committee and Paralympic Committee in the lead-up to the London games. Their athletes are working hard to be able to have the honor of representing Costa Rica in London next year.
That’s why as President Rogge invites Costa Rican athletes to Britain in 2012, and as Nery Brenes, Kristopher Mointland, Gabriela Trañes and others start training for glory, I want to invite the people of Costa Rica to be a part of this momentous occasion too.
Today and for the next 12 months, we want to welcome the world to the U.K. to share in the Olympic and Paralympic experience and discover what makes Britain a great place to live, work, visit, invest and do business.
With 365 days to go, we are ready to host outstanding games that will live on in the difference it makes to millions of lives – and we want everyone to be part of it.
William Hague is the British foreign secretary and former Conservative Party leader in the U.K.
