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Dear citizens of Duisburg,
As our new Federal President Horst Köhler said: “People in Germany have got a high potential. But we are all waiting.” In Duisburg there is no time to wait. Our city is willing to realise a fascinating idea, and there are no more than 365 days left!
That is why I say: People in Duisburg are able to render many things possible. And once more we are going to make it. In one year as of today our new, pretty MSV Arena will be packed with people watching the great opening ceremony of the World Games 2005. The worldgames of the non-olympic disciplines are beginning on July 14th 2005. And not only because they are held under the patronage of the International Olympic Comitee, olympic spirit will be noticeable in year one after Athens – here in Duisburg as well as in our neighbour cities Bottrop, Oberhausen and Mülheim. The flair of a global festival will be very close then: Within the biggest World Games ever about 3000 athletes will fight for medals in 177 competitions. Duisburg and the Rhein-Ruhr-area are expecting more than half a million spectators for the competitons held at 25 venues. Among them will be great attractions to the audience such as American Football, Body Building, Sports Aerobics, Rugby and Rock ´n´ Roll, but also rather interesting exotics still waiting to be discovered: Sumo, Canoe Polo and Roller Hockey. To put it briefly: A multi-sport event of the highest quality is expecting us.
The motto now has to be: Make it possible! The organising team is working hard so that Duisburg will be at its best in July 2005. But nothing is going to work without the citizens. So let us put up our proverbial enthusiasm for sport against the hesitation and work as hard as it has been typical of Duisburgs citizens ever since. In order to become a success, the World Games 2005 need your sympathy, your word of mouth and your active support. Many voluntaries from our sports clubs and outside will be needed. Every citizen of Duisburg will become a visiting card of our city when people from all over the world will be our guests. From today on we need to count backwards. We only have 365 days and yet tomorrow it will be 365 minus one. But we can and will make a lot possible here in Duisburg...
Yours
Bärbel Zieling
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