Governor General to Open the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Published February 8th, 2010
Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Jean-Daniel Lafond will be in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, from February 9 to
15, 2010, to attend the XXI Olympic Winter Games.
The Governor General will open the Games before thousands of athletes and dignitaries from the four corners of the globe at the opening ceremony, on Friday, February 12.
“The time has come to welcome the world to the cities of Vancouver and Whistler, which will become venues of the highest calibre for athletic competition,” said the Governor General. “This wonderful, global meeting-place of the Olympic Games will break down barriers of indifference and create a forum of solidarity to celebrate athletic excellence.”
Their Excellencies will be honorary guests at the 122nd session of the International Olympic Committee, which is meeting in Vancouver for the occasion.
As honorary patron of the Olympic Truce, the Governor General will host a Youth Dialogue during the Vancouver 2010 Indigenous Youth Gathering. Over 500 young leaders from Canada will meet to discuss the Olympic Truce and its underlying values of peace, mutual understanding, inclusion and co-operation.
Their Excellencies will meet with Canadian and foreign athletes, in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, to celebrate their perseverance, courage and Olympic spirit. Their Excellencies will also have the opportunity to visit with some of the 4 500 Canadian troops assisting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with security measures at the Games.
During the Games, Their Excellencies will attend sporting competitions as well as artistic performances presented as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
