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  2. Remarks by the Secretary-General at the IOC President's dinner

Rio de Janeiro

4 August 2016

Remarks by the Secretary-General at the IOC President's dinner

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank President Bach and the International Olympic Committee for their kind invitation and leadership in organizing the 31st Olympic Games.

I also want to thank the people and government of Brazil, particularly the citizens of Rio, for their warm welcome and cooperation to help make the Rio Olympics a great success.

This special dinner brings together leaders from the worlds of government, business, the media, science, culture and sport.

We can all feel the excitement of the Olympic Games. Scores of teams, thousands of athletes and hundreds of millions of fans around the world are waiting for the Games to begin.

Even though the competition has not yet started, the Games are already making history.

They are being held in South America for the first time. And the International Olympic Committee has taken the unprecedented step of including a refugee team.

This afternoon, together with the Honourary President of IOC, Jacques Rogge, I met these talented athletes. They were forced to flee their homes – but thanks to the IOC, they have the chance to chase gold.

The refugee team initiative shows how the Olympics is using its unique global reach to help raise public awareness about critical issues.

I appreciate President Bach’s compassionate leadership and I thank him for this contribution to building trust and understanding around the world.

I am also grateful to the IOC for using the power of sport for development and peace.

We are resolved to continue our efforts to advance peace through sport – and press for ceasefires. The UN General Assembly has adopted an Olympic Truce resolution.

The Olympics prove that countries can move from armed conflict to athletic competition.

They are a chance for us to see that we are all human. We all sweat and struggle. We may have different flags, but we are one human family.

The athletes have all come here with a dream – to do more than anyone ever thought could be possible.

Let us make these Rio Olympics the starting point for a better future by setting new records for global solidarity, under the Rio Olympics motto: Live your passion.

Please join me in a toast: to continued success of the OIC and President Bach, to your leadership; to Brazil, our gracious host; and to the success of our efforts to create a more just and peaceful world through sports.

Thank you. Obrigado.