JEUNES OLYMPIENS DU MONDE ENTIER, BONSOIR, VOUS AVEZ ETE MAGNIFIQUES,

Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore,

Mr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee,

Friends and Colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We have done it!!

We have delivered the inaugural Youth Olympic Games!!!

Young Olympians, for the last 12 days you have breathed life into this very first Youth Olympic Games. You epitomize the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. Your spectacular performances in sport and your enthusiastic participation in the Culture and Education Programme have proved that the concept of the Youth Olympic Games is a right one. You have wowed us and inspired us and we have cheered our hearts out for you. The integration of sports with culture and education and the buzz of these Games have been magical. Thank you Chefs de Mission, team officials, coaches and Athlete Role Models for your support to the Young Olympians and helping to make these Games such an exciting experience for everyone.

The journey for the last 2 ½ years has been exhilarating and fulfilling. Thank you friends and colleagues at the International Olympic Committee, the National Olympic Committees and the International Federations for working hand in hand with us to co-construct and co-create these Games.

Thank you, President Jacques Rogge for your vision. This is the legacy of your presidency.

My fellow Singaporeans, we have worked hard together to host the world. We have fulfilled our promises and undertakings and made Singapore proud. Thank You, Terima Kasih, Xie Xie, Mi Ker Nandri.

To the Government of Singapore and especially our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, thank you for being with us from the very beginning, the first day of our bid. You stood with us on 21 February 2008 at Padang of our City Hall, awaiting for the announcement of the host city, and you have been with us through the Games. The world would not have come to Singapore if you had not said, “Yes, let us bid for the Games”. Thank you, Prime Minister.

To our team at the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the thousands of volunteers, what can I say to you? From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your passion and your total devotion. This is a dream come true for many of us. So dear friends, wherever you are, please stand up, take a bow and be recognised.

Friends from the media of the world, many of you have told me that you have never worked so hard before at any Games because there are so many stories to tell at these Games. Thank you for bringing these many exciting moments to the world through the images and writings and stories of these Games, of the triumphs and struggles of the Young Olympians, and of the many touching human stories. You have worked tirelessly to convey truthfully and beautifully the spirit of this very first Games.

These Games have touched many and will change the lives of many more. I am very privileged to be able to blaze the trail together with you, to create history and to leave a strong legacy for the world and for Singapore.

To my friends at Innsbruck and Nanjing, good luck to you and we will be there always to support you. May the Flame of the Youth Olympic Games burn ever brighter at your Games.

It is now time to say goodbye. I hope you will leave Singapore with great memories of both this Games and Singapore. Merci bien, au revoir et bon voyage.

Now, it is my privilege and honour to invite Mr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, to deliver his speech.