Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations Wednesday highlighted the opportunity presented by the Beijing Olympic Games to promote friendship and peace, as he toured the site where athletes and fans from around the world will gather in just over one month's time.
He arrived in Beijing Sunday following his visit to Japan, the first stop on a three-nation tour that will also take him to the Republic of Korea before returning to Japan for the G-8 summit of major industrialized nations in Hokkaido.
Mr. Ban told reporters: "I hope this Olympic Games will be the venue for all athletes and people of the world to promote their mutual understanding, harmony, reconciliation and friendship on the basis of fair competition."
Mr Ban made a visit to Birdnest Stadium, the main venue for the competitions.
The Secretary-General hailed preparations of China for the Games. He stated: “The facilities and technologies all seem to be excellent. This is really fantastic, the most impressive that I have ever seen.”
He added: “I am quite confident that the Beijing Olympic Games will be the most successful Olympics in the history of the Olympic Games.”
While in the Chinese capital, the Secretary-General will be meeting with President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other top officials.
Showing posts with label yang jiechi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yang jiechi. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
UN envoy stresses Olympic Games in Beijing as unifying nations and peoples
“Sports can help bring people together, as witnessed by major international competitions such as the Soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games,” the United Nations envoy tasked with promoting sport for development and peace said Friday.
“Sport is a universal language that unites people and breaks down barriers, whether they are ethical, religious, economic or social,” Wilfried Lemke told reporters, as he briefed them on his activities during his first few months as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace.
Mr. Lemke, a former athlete and sports teacher, added that “sports have a vital role in society, as they teach fundamental values such as discipline, fair play, confidence and tolerance”.
He also echoed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in noting that sports can be an instrument to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of anti-poverty targets world leaders pledged to realize by 2015.
During a recent visit to Africa, Mr. Lemke went to the poor townships in South Africa and the slums of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, where his Office had some initiatives for children in partnership with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
There he had a chance to witness how sports can be used to promote development. He will also be lacing up his running shoes in November, when he plans to participate in the New York City Marathon to raise money for a project in Nairobi.
But prior to that, the Special Adviser will be heading to Beijing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He will be chairing a meeting of the International Working Group on Sports for Development and Peace ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony on 8 August.
The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the UN travels on Tuesday to China, where he is slated to hold meetings with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, as well as with the United Nations Country Team.
He is also expected to visit Olympic Games sites and speak at the Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.
“Sport is a universal language that unites people and breaks down barriers, whether they are ethical, religious, economic or social,” Wilfried Lemke told reporters, as he briefed them on his activities during his first few months as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace.
Mr. Lemke, a former athlete and sports teacher, added that “sports have a vital role in society, as they teach fundamental values such as discipline, fair play, confidence and tolerance”.
He also echoed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in noting that sports can be an instrument to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the set of anti-poverty targets world leaders pledged to realize by 2015.
During a recent visit to Africa, Mr. Lemke went to the poor townships in South Africa and the slums of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, where his Office had some initiatives for children in partnership with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
There he had a chance to witness how sports can be used to promote development. He will also be lacing up his running shoes in November, when he plans to participate in the New York City Marathon to raise money for a project in Nairobi.
But prior to that, the Special Adviser will be heading to Beijing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He will be chairing a meeting of the International Working Group on Sports for Development and Peace ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony on 8 August.
The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the UN travels on Tuesday to China, where he is slated to hold meetings with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, as well as with the United Nations Country Team.
He is also expected to visit Olympic Games sites and speak at the Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.
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