London will host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics 1 year from now. The biggest sporting event in the world will be a splendid celebration of sport, achievement and friendship. It really is the greatest show on earth.
The city is ready. Construction is on time and on budget with all the major venues on or ahead of schedule. The challenge is enormous: 14,700 athletes will participate in the games, 4 billion people will tune into the opening ceremony, 320,000 extra foreign visitors are expected in the UK and 22,000 journalists will cover the events.
One of the biggest challenges is to ensure that the games are more than a six week celebration of sport. Our aim is to leave a legacy which will continue after next summer. This means a local legacy: vast areas of polluted wasteland in East London have been transformed into a huge new urban park where the athletes village will be converted into affordable homes and the sporting venues used for future generations.
It also means a national legacy: to create jobs and support economic growth. The UK will reaffirm to the world that we welcome people from all over the world, tolerate and respect other cultures, celebrate our diverse history and culture and that the UK is a dynamic, passionate and creative place with a real sense of humour.
Most importantly there is a sporting legacy: inspiring young people to get involved in sport and opening up disabled sport. This legacy has extended overseas, including to Jordan where we have used the UK’s International Inspirations Programme to help refugees and disabled children to become involved in sport. This sporting legacy will be seen this weekend in Amman. A group of young Jordanians will get together to discuss what the Olympics mean for them and how the Olympics can benefit Jordan. They will then translate their ideas by painting the walls of the Embassy. It is an unusual and exciting event which will spread the message of the importance of sport to young people in all parts of Jordan. I am looking forward to seeing some colourful and vibrant images.
I hope you will join us from 3pm on Friday, 29 July at the Embassy in Abdoun. It will be a great day out.
I was born in East London and lived there until I was 18. I am very proud that my city will host the Olympics. And equally proud to be able to use this enormous opportunity to help spread the Olympic message in Jordan.