Speech by Mr Ng Ser Miang at the One Year Countdown Event

Speech by Mr Ng Ser Miang, Chairman, SYOGOC, at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games One Year Countdown Event

14 August 2008

Professor S Jayakumar
Senior Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon
Minister of State for Community Development, Youth & Sports

Mr Teo Ser Luck
Mayor, North East District and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth & Sports, and Transport

Mr Christophe Berthaud
General Manager of Swiss Timing Athletes, Corporate partners, National Sports Associations (NSAs), students,

ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.

I remember standing at this very same place with many of you on 21 February last year, when Singapore won the bid to host the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG). It was an exciting and emotional moment for all of us. Eighteen (18) months have since passed and this evening, we celebrate the progress we have made so far. In a year’s time, Singapore will welcome the world to the first YOG.

The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) is committed to deliver a successful Games. We believe that the YOG will help us achieve a sporting Singapore, where sport becomes a part of our lifestyle. And through the Culture and Education Programme, we want to encourage everyone, especially our youth, to adopt and live by the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

I like to thank Professor Jayakumar for gracing this evening’s event. I also like to welcome Omega onboard as the Official Timekeeper for the YOG, and for sponsoring this One Year Countdown clock. A big thank you to all our partners, sponsors and volunteers for adding vibrancy to this countdown celebration as well as to all of you here this evening.

In 365 days, 5,000 athletes and officials from 205 National Olympic Committees and thousands of visitors will be in Singapore. We will welcome them not only to Singapore but into our heartlands – Bishan, Tampines, Toa Payoh, Sengkang and Woodlands, and each of us can play a role to ensure that our international friends have an enjoyable and meaningful time when they are in Singapore for the YOG next year.

As we come closer to the YOG, let us invite more of our friends and family to join us. There are many ways to be part of Singapore 2010 and the simplest one is to adopt the Olympic values in your everyday life. Everyone can, and we welcome all of you to join us in the unique and once in a lifetime Singapore 2010 journey.

Now, let us hear from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr Jacques Rogge, who has sent his greetings in a video message to celebrate this event tonight.

Thank you.