Presented by: Hon Glenn Fitzroy Phillip Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport, Information Technology, Telecommunication and Posts on the National Broadcast on Monday, June 23, 2014.
Fellow Citizens and Residents,
Today June 23, 2014, St. Kitts and Nevis celebrates with the international sporting community, the acknowledgement of Olympic Day 2014. On this day scores of our citizens will participate in public activities, spearheaded by the National Olympic Committee, that will observe the three Olympic pillars which are Move, Learn and Discover. Through its observation, Olympic Day is a celebration of the active lifestyles of youth around the world and the observance of the Olympic values of Fair Play, Perseverance, Respect and Sportsmanship.
Since our participation in the 25th Olympiad in the City of Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 as a nation, St. Kitts and Nevis, through the diligent work of our National Olympic Committee, has brought the significance of Olympic Day celebrations to our young people and the nation at large. We share in its international significance and it benefits to us as a people. On this day, we remember our sport heroes, those sport icons for whom excellence was passion and dedication was their finest virtue. These men and women, who from times past to the present, have inspired us as a people by setting the world ablaze with their talent. Also on Olympic Day, we are shown the power of sport to conquer hate. While our world has not yet entered that period of true and lasting peace, sport has been one of the greatest instruments of concord among the peoples of the world.
When we celebrate Olympic Day, today, we celebrate the recognition of each human being as an equal, as a friend and as a brother. I also believe that today’s celebration is an encouragement to healthy living in all the nations of the world. For while living standards around the world continue to rise, the concomitant reality is that human beings have fast become less and less active. This new lifestyle has been considered as the primary reason for the prevalence of obesity and the early onset of chronic diseases in modern and advanced societies. Olympic day reminds us to be active – to walk, to run, to play a sport – so as to live healthier lifestyles.
The government and people of this country are mindful that the health of nations is the wealth of nations and so by joining this celebration, we declare to the world and to ourselves that we will pursue healthy lifestyles. Added to these, Olympic Day celebrations help to ignite a passion among our youth to take part in future Olympic Games. On this day, many of our young people will join in the Olympic Day run and they will catch a glimpse of the significance of sport in their lives and to mankind. Some will aspire and will become world class athletes; others may become sport administrators and professionals. Therefore, today’s celebration will first create the awareness in our young people as it further encourages those who had been so inspired in past years.
On this most significant day, the Ministry of Sport applauds the National Olympic Committee for having once again organised the Olympic Day Run, reminding us that St. Kitts and Nevis continues to stand proudly and purposefully in the community of nations. And because of this, they further testify to our commitment as a nation to the advancement and empowerment of all our people.
It is my sincere wish that each of us, Citizens and Residents alike, will celebrate an active and meaningful Olympic Day 2014. May we each learn from this experience and share its significance with each other and through it may we discover new joys of peace, health and happiness.
Happy Olympic Day 2014 to all! Thank you.
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