Official opening of the 43rd General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee takes place in Baku

21.11.2014

The 43rd General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee started its work in Baku, November 21.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony, which will last two days.

At the Assembly attended by delegations from the European countries Olympic committees, heads of international sport organizations, reports on such themes as “Olympic Games”,  “Marketing and Communication”, “Sport For Everyone”, “Olympic Culture and Heritage”, “Medicine and Antidoping”, “Gender Equality in Sport” etc., as well as information about the first European Games and report of the “Baku-2015” Operations Committee will be heard. Reports on the preparation works for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and 23rd Winter Games and European Youth Olympic Festival too are on the Assembly’s agenda.

Joining the ceremony, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with the management of the European Olympic Committee.

The Head of the State addressed the ceremony.

Delivering a speech later, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach said investment into education and sport in Azerbaijan has prompted reaching successful results.  He expressed confidence the first European Games to be held next year in Baku will run at the highest level, and that initiatives by Chairperson of the Organizing Committee Mehriban Aliyeva will give a stimulus to these games being successful.

President of the European Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey thanked President Ilham Aliyev and Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva  for high-level hosting of the Assembly in Baku. “This 43rd General Assembly is a significant event in terms of discussing the preparation works for the European Games to be held next year, and the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games”, - he said.

Patrick Hickey presented souvenirs of the European Olympic Committee to President Ilham Aliyev and Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva.

Then President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach was presented a medal of “Fame” of the European Olympic Committee.

Here, the official part of the General Assembly came to an end.