In Support of Lillehammer, 11 May 2010

Remarks by Ambassador Arne Walther, Norway

It is a great pleasure for me, as Ambassador of Norway to Japan, to convey the strong support of the Norwegian Government to Lillestrøm’s candidature for the 15th World Gymnaestrada that will take place in July 2015. A year when the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation, the oldest sports federation in Norway with some 85 000 members in a country of only 4.8 million people, will celebrate its 125th anniversary.

The Government of Norway attaches great importance to the role sports play not only for healthy minds and bodies, but also in promoting the people-to-people contacts that are so important in the wider context of international cooperation. 

And we have a very good track record in hosting large international sports events. Let me just mention the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, where 67 nations participated.

The gymnastic tradition is strong in Norway and public interest is great. If, as we eagerly hope, the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation is chosen to host the 15th World Gymnaestrada, I can assure you that all efforts will be made to ensure that it will be an unforgettable success. In fact, the city of Lillestrøm, just outside our capital Oslo, has everything ready even now to greet the participants - five years prior to the event.

Lillestrøm’s candidature enjoys broad support in Norway at the national, as well as at the regional and local levels. A well qualified and eminently experienced Norwegian team stands ready. It will be assisted, in good Norwegian tradition, by a large number of volunteers, should Norway be assigned this important task.

On behalf of the Norwegian Government, let me express my sincere hope that the International Federation of Gymnastics after considering the Norwegian presentation and the strong Norwegian official government support will choose, the day after tomorrow, the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation to host the 2015 World Gymnaestrada.