I’m delighted to welcome a special guest blogger this week. The following is from our Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, looking forward to welcoming the world to London for the Olympic games:
As the first city ever to host the Olympics three times, we’re looking forward to welcoming the world to London.
Every Games – from Sydney to Barcelona to Beijing – says something unique and distinctive about the country that hosts them. London will be no different.
So what will London 2012 say about the UK in 2012?
It will show that Britain delivers. Our construction industry has pulled out all the stops to create an Olympic Park, including a new Olympic Village, built on time, within budget and to award-winning standards, including groundbreaking commitments to sustainability and green technology which have raised the bar for major construction projects in the UK and beyond.
For those of you who haven’t been to the UK, I hope the Games will shine a light on Britain as an incredible place to visit.
The Olympic Torch, currently on its 8,000 mile journey across the UK, is showing off our attractions from Stonehenge in the South to Hadrian’s Wall in the North.
This blend of old and new, the traditional and the cutting edge, will shine through our Games. Alongside the new Olympic Park, events will be staged in some of the most historic and iconic sporting venues in the country: Lords, the home of world cricket; Wimbledon, where tennis players from all over the world are gathering this week; Greenwich, synonymous with maritime history.
But for many people, London is still the big draw. As one of the world’s great cities, it encapsulates everything we cherish in Britain: our multiculturalism and openness, our respect for our past, and our ambition for the future.
London is, in every sense, a world within a city. It will be busy, yes, but also full of energy, excitement and potential: the perfect backdrop for the best in global sport and culture.
For any country, hosting a third Olympics is a huge honour. London has waited a long time for this moment and the whole world will be watching. In one month’s time, we hope to live up to those expectations – by putting on an amazing show and offering a glimpse of Britain at its best.
Tags: london 2012, olympics, one month to go, paralympics
London will be the center of attention as soon as the Olympics kicks off. It must be an enormous boost for the city and its residents. I can’t think of a better place than London to host this massive event. The only thing that worries me is the British weather. I hope it won’t spoil the fun. I’m pleased to say that I will attend the Olympics, but I will attend the event at a later stage. I’m sure we’re going to have a very good time…
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