Hon. Stephen Lashley, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth,
Mr. Steven Stoute, President of Barbados Olympic Association,
Mr. Erskine Simmons,Secretary General of Barbados Olympic Association
Mr. Glyne Clarke, Chef de Mission of Barbados for the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games,
Mr. Ryan Brathwaite, Barbados Young Ambassador of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games
Members of the Mission and families of the athletes,
Mr. Ivan Clarke, Principal of Hilda Skeene Primary School and teachers from the school,
Dear friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening.
Welcome to the Chinese Embassy, and together with us to see off the Mission of Barbados for the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Nanjing, China on August 16th, 2014.
The Youth Olympic Games is a sporting and cultural event for the elite young people from all over the world, and a platform for the exchanges among the youths from different cultures. The Youth Olympic Games aims to encourage the young people from all over the world to participate in sports, share different cultures, and enjoy optimistic, positive and healthy lifestyles.
The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games will be another Olympic Games hosted by China after the 29th Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing in 2008. Nanjing once was the capital of ancient China, and is nowadays an important modern city in the east part of China. Since winning the bid to host the Youth Olympic Games, the people in the city have prepared elaborately and meticulously for this event. And now they are all ready to welcome the 3787 athletes from 204 countries and regions including Barbados. I believe that, the talented youth athletes from all over the world shall be encouraged by the YOG's slogan "Share the Games, Share our Dreams", fairly compete in all 28 sports, experience the world's pluralistic cultures, and to make the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games a stage for the youths to show their health, happiness and growth.
Barbados is one of the leading sports powers in the Caribbean, and has held 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup and other international and regional sports events. A number of Barbadian athletes won medals in regional games of cricket, track and field, table tennis and body building, etc. Barbados has always actively participated in the Olympic Games. During my attendance at the Barbados Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Virtual Torch Relay in Hilda Skeene Primary School on May 26th, I was deeply impressed by the passion of the students and teachers for the Youth Olympic Games. And surely, Barbados has made positive contributions for the Development of Olympic Movements as a respectable member of the Olympic family.
China and Barbados have kept enhancing the exchanges and cooperation in the area of sports. The Wildey Gymnasium aided by the Chinese Government is not only a facility for many sports and cultural events of Barbados, but a symbol of friendship between the peoples of our two countries. I want to highlight that, Minister Lashley visited China in May and exchanged views with the head of General Administration of Sport of China on further deepening the cooperation between the two sides. Last week, a cultural and sporting delegation from Anhui Province, China, led by the Vice Governor of Anhui Provincial Government, reached consensus on strengthening the cooperation between the Province and Barbados, and donated some sports equipment to the Ministry while their visit in Barbados. Both Chinese and Barbadians are sports-loving people. The martial arts and Taichi of China are broadly interested by Barbadians, while the road tennis and cricket, the national sports of Barbados could be well introduced to Chinese people. The two countries should promote the exchanges, especially in the sports of each other's advantages and learn from each other to the benefit of both sides, so as to promote the interaction and understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
In closing, I wish a success to the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, and good performances by the Barbadian athletes.
Thank you!